Narcissus Louise de Coligny

Narcissus 'Louise de Coligny' is an old variety that stands out with its magnificent fragrance. This variety waits until the end of spring to unfold large solitary flowers, composed of a white corolla adorned with a fully-developed central crown that is slightly orange in colour. This sturdy variety multiplies rapidly in the garden, forming beautiful clumps in sunny beds in just a few years. Its short stem withstands the wind. It is a superb flower for bouquets. This hardy plant is easy to grow. It is as beautiful as it is fragrant.

Narcissus 'Louise de Coligny' belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. More precisely, it belongs to division 2 of the large narcissus family, which consists of 13 divisions. The genus includes about 50 species found mainly in the western Mediterranean, as well as in Africa and Asia.

Like the majority of large-cupped daffodils, 'Louise de Coligny' is the result of cross-breeding between N. poeticus and N. x pseudonarcissus, and sometimes N. incomparabilis. It is an excellent Dutch variety dating back to 1940, and was awarded as soon as it was introduced! The plant produces a sturdy floral stem that reaches a height of 50cm (20in). It is a late-flowering plant, blooming in May-June, with a large yellow-green flower bud that opens into magnificent 8cm (3in)-wide flowers. The flowers have six white petaloid tepals. The six stamens are inserted into a cup-shaped corona or paracorolla, which is pink-orange in colour. The foliage is deciduous and linear, and disappears in summer.

There are so many daffodil cultivars that one can enjoy them for three months in spring without ever getting tired. They all have in common the ability to naturalise easily, to offer an infinite range of yellow and white shades, and to often emit sweet fragrances. Grow them in large clumps (at least 20 bulbs) for a dazzling effect. Pair 'Louise de Coligny' with blue squills, hyacinths, double tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, or liverworts. This variety is also perfect in pots.

For bouquets, we advise against mixing daffodils with other flowers. Daffodil stems contain a substance that causes other flowers to wilt quickly. This adverse effect on other flower types can be reduced by dipping the ends of the daffodil stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.