Narcissus cyclamineus Winter Waltz

Narcissus 'Winter Waltz' is one of the most beautiful flowers for late winter. This small, delicate, and unique daffodil bears charming little flowers with slightly upturned petals, held horizontally. They are white with a small trumpet ranging from pink to orange. The foliage is not very abundant. Flowering begins in March, or even February in mild climates. It is hardy and easy to grow in well-drained soil. It settles quietly in the garden. Dwarf varieties are ideal for rockeries and planters.

Narcissus 'Winter Waltz' belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. The Narcissus genus includes about 50 species mainly found in Western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. The cyclamineus species, from which it originates, is native to the northwest of Portugal and the northwest of Spain, and owes its name to its outer petals which form a completely reflexed corolla, like cyclamens. This characteristic is often greatly reduced in its hybrid descendants.

Narcissus 'Winter Waltz' is a small, vigorous plant that reaches about 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) when flowering. Its foliage is about 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) in height. Its bi-coloured flowers are composed of a corolla of slightly translucent and upturned petals, with a pearly white colour, into which a fairly long, undulating, flared coronule is inserted, whose colour varies from pink to apricot depending on the ambient temperature. This early-flowering plant is robust, despite its small size. It naturalises in the garden within 3 or 4 years through bulblet production. Its fine foliage is grey-green.

Narcissus 'Winter Waltz' grows in any well-drained and loosened soil, but the results are less favourable in soils that are too wet, especially in summer, or excessively acidic. 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 in lawns or at the edge of flower beds (at least 20 bulbs) for an enhanced effect. Pair 'Winter Waltz’ with squills, crocuses, hyacinths, early-flowering botanical tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, or liverworts. A group of 'Winter Waltz’ daffodils in a vase creates a sensational effect. This daffodil is also perfect in pots.

Daffodil or Narcissus? Botanically speaking, daffodils are part of the narcissus family. They bear flowers grouped in pairs or more, and their coronule forms a bell-shaped trumpet longer than the corolla is wide. The botanical species have the charm of wild plants and thrive in rockeries: N. bulbocodium, N. canaliculatus, N. juncifolius, N. pseudonarcissus are among the most beautiful. 

For bouquets, we advise you not to mix narcissus with other flowers, such as tulips, as the stems of narcissus contain a substance that quickly wilts other flowers. This detrimental effect on other flower species can be mitigated by dipping the ends of the narcissus stems in warm water for 1 to 2 minutes.