Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Narcissus Telamonius Plenus Van Sion 1620

 

Narcissus telamonius plenus Van Sion

I have found this old daffodil growing on several old farms in north Louisiana. It is not as widely spread as the old Daffodil Butter and Eggs in my area but it has survived in large enough numbers to be considered one of my Southern Heirloom Farm Daffodils.

Narcissus telamonius plenus

The large yellow and green blooms open from big fat green buds that are very showy. I had a clump in bud December the 29th under a large Oak Tree. The buds of this variety take the longest to open of any I have seen. I have these big green buds for 4 to 6 weeks sometimes before the bloom.

Narcissus Van Sion

The blooms do not always open perfect but when they do they are breathtaking with their beauty. The detail of green in them will make you think of the Parrot Tulips that you see in the Dutch Bulb Catalogs. These tulips will not grow for us down here in the South but this daffodil will return faithfully every spring as it has done for generations.

This true Southern Heirloom Daffodil dates back to 1620 and is referred to as Butter and Eggs in the Tennessee region here in the South. Across most of the South we consider the multiple varieties of the Phoenix as Butter and Eggs. I have seen photos of ones listed that open with the doubling only in the trumpet. I have never found any growing here in the South. There is a lot of variation in these old daffodils and it may have been one of these picked by the Dutch growers to propagate but did not prove to be stable.

Ours here in the South are considered a form of the Lent Lily Daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus with them budding and blooming at about the same time.

I have decided a vase full of these green buds would be very elegant for a photo but it is pouring down rain this morning and it will have to wait for another day.

For more information about Southern Heirloom Bulbs or to purchase these daffodil bulbs please visit http://www.dixiebulbs.com or you can Email me at bulbhound@live.com

6 comments:

  1. I have discovered these in a vacant lot near my house that is receiving bull dozing and probably will have a house some day. I had transplanted some to my fence row, not knowing what they were, and questioned the local garden club................ so glad to have and identify. Some of us are trying to save before they are buried deep in the earth.

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  2. I'm excited about digging these heirloom bulbs up and transplanting them for future growth. So much of history is being is being buried beneath the earth (rewritten) for political purposes. Hopefully, these beautiful heirloom daffodil's will keep coming back for years to come.

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  3. I'm excited about digging these heirloom bulbs up and transplanting them for future growth. So much of history is being is being buried beneath the earth (rewritten) for political purposes. Hopefully, these beautiful heirloom daffodil's will keep coming back for years to come.

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  4. I live in the foothills of northwestern North Carolina and found hundreds of gold and green double daffodils by an old cabin from civil war days. in fact there is a headstone for a revolutionary soldier by them. I have searched for several years to try identifying them. I now believe they are Van Scion!! I am so excited to find a match and to have a name for them. have dug and planted some to my yard to add to my extension collection gathered from my grandmothers' and my home farm.

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  5. I found a clump of these near my parents and moved them into their garden, I can't wait for them to open fully!!!

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