How Do Narcissus Propagate? A Detailed Guide to Common Propagation Methods
Narcissus is mainly propagated by lateral buds, lateral bulbs, twin-scaling, and tissue culture seedling production.
(1) Lateral bud propagation (budlet propagation): when scooping out the growing point of a seed bulb, dig out the lateral buds wrapped inside and use them as propagation material; in autumn, scatter them fairly evenly over a prepared raised bed and cover with a thin layer of soil. However, the bed surface should be watered thoroughly before scattering.
(2) Lateral bulb propagation: in autumn, twist off the small bulbs that have naturally formed on the mother bulb and use them as seed bulbs for propagation.
(3) Twin-scaling propagation: the mother bulb of narcissus contains many lateral buds, basically one bud every two scales, so you can cut a section of basal plate with two scales and one lateral bud as propagation material; this is called twin-scaling propagation. The specific method is: keep the mother bulb at a low temperature of 4-10°C for 4-8 weeks, then at room temperature cut the basal plate so that each piece contains 2 scales and 1 lateral bud; cut off the upper end of the scales, leaving 2 cm as propagation material, then place it in a plastic bag filled with vermiculite at 50% moisture or sand at 6% moisture, seal the bag opening, and keep it in a dark place at 20-28°C; after 2-3 months small bulbs will grow, ready for planting.
How Does Narcissus Propagate? Narcissus Varieties
Narcissus likes a warm, humid environment and blooms in winter and spring, with excellent ornamental value; many flower lovers place one or two pots in their homes. But they know little about related knowledge, so how does narcissus propagate? What varieties of narcissus are there? Below, we introduce narcissus propagation methods and narcissus varieties.
How Does Narcissus Propagate
1. Lateral bulb propagation
This is the most common and commonly used propagation method. The storage bulbs grow on both sides outside the bulb, connected to the mother bulb only at the base, and easily separate from the mother on their own; in autumn, separate them from the mother bulb and plant them separately, and new bulbs are produced the following year.
2. Lateral bud propagation
Lateral buds are buds wrapped inside the bulb. Only when the bulb is scooped out do they separate from the mother together with the broken scales dug out; pick out the white buds and scatter-sow them on a seedling bed in autumn, and new bulbs are produced the following year.
3. Twin-scaling propagation
A single bulb contains many lateral buds, some clearly visible and some hidden. But the basic rule is one bud every two scales. Using a basal plate with two scales as propagation material is called twin-scaling propagation. The method is to first keep the bulb at a low temperature of 4-10°C for 4-8 weeks, then at room temperature cut the basal plate into small pieces so that each piece has two scales, and cut off the upper end of the scales, leaving 2 cm as propagation material; then use a plastic bag holding vermiculite at 50% moisture or sand at 6% moisture, put the propagation material into the bag, seal the bag opening, and place it in a dark place at 20-28°C. After 2-3 months small bulbs can grow, with a bulb formation rate of 80-90%. This is a new method developed in recent years; it can be done in all four seasons, but 4-9 is best. The small bulbs produced have a high survival rate after transplanting, up to 80-100%.
4. Tissue culture
Use MS medium with 30 grams of sucrose and 5 grams of activated carbon added per liter, use shoot tips as explants, or use a stem plate with twin scales measuring 5×10 mm as explants, pH 5-7; put into 20x100 mm glass tubes, 10 ml of medium per tube, and after sterilization, insert one explant per tube, then culture at 25°C; 10 days after inoculation small protrusions appear, after 20 days they become small bulbs, and after 1 month they are transferred to medium containing NAA 0.1/mg 1/2MS; after 6-8 weeks they have leaves and roots, and when transplanted into the field, survival can be 100%. When shoot tips are used as explants, it also has a virus-removal effect.
Narcissus Varieties
There are many kinds of narcissus, mainly Chinese narcissus, Western narcissus, and South American narcissus in the Amaryllidaceae, as well as grape hyacinth and other species in the Hyacinthaceae (formerly classified under the Liliaceae), and each kind of narcissus has many different varieties.
1. Western narcissus, also called yellow narcissus or foreign narcissus; because the flowers resemble a trumpet or funnel, it is also known as trumpet narcissus or funnel narcissus. It has bulbs 3 to 6 cm in diameter, strap-shaped gray-green leaves, and stout flower stalks, with each stalk usually bearing only one flower. The petals are white or yellow, with differences in depth of shade, and the corona comes in many colors such as yellow, orange-yellow, orange-red, and flesh pink, with wrinkled edges. The flowers vary greatly by variety, with large ones reaching about 10 cm and small ones only 2 to 3 cm. Its natural flowering period is early spring, and in artificially cultivated environments it can also bloom in winter.
2. Chinese narcissus, also called narcissus flower, is a traditional famous flower of our country and has the reputation of "Fairy of the Waves." It is a bulb plant of the Amaryllidaceae, Narcissus genus. The bulb is oval or round and slightly flattened, composed of the bulb skin, several fleshy scales, leaf buds, flower buds, and the basal plate. The flowers are divided into single-petaled (also called golden cup and silver platform) and double-petaled (also called hundred leaves or jade exquisite). Its flower color is elegant, the fragrance is rich, and the leaves are emerald green; it is often displayed in water culture on a desk.
3. Grape narcissus is another name for grape hyacinth, also called blue bottle flower, blue pot flower, or musk orchid. It is a bulb plant of the Hyacinthaceae, Muscari genus. The bulb is nearly spherical, covered with a white skin, and the leaves are dark green and slender. The raceme is about 10 cm long, and the small flowers droop slightly; the flowers are grape-like, and the whole inflorescence looks like a bunch of grapes. Flower colors include white, blue-purple, and light blue. The normal flowering period is March to May, and in artificially cultivated environments it can be advanced to January to February, or even bloom earlier.
4. Five-colored narcissus is hyacinth, also known by the alias foreign narcissus. It is a plant of the Hyacinthaceae, Hyacinthus genus. The bulb is spherical, and the outer skin is white or purple-red and glossy. The leaves are green, thick, and nearly succulent. The flower stalk emerges from the leaf cluster, 15 cm to 40 cm long, and the raceme is densely set with 10 to 30 small flowers. The flowers are bell-shaped, with the corolla rolled back toward the back, and there are also double-petaled varieties. Flower colors include white, pink, yellow, purple, blue, and red, with a rich or light fragrance. The natural flowering period is March to April.
5. South American narcissus, also called American narcissus or Amazon lily, is a perennial herbaceous flower of the Amaryllidaceae, Eucharis genus. The bulb is plump like an onion, oval to broadly ovate-spherical, covered with a brown skin. The leaves are narrowly long and strap-shaped, dark green and glossy. The umbel is terminal, the scape is hollow and flat-tubular, and the flowers are pure white and fragrant. The flowering period is winter and spring.
The above are the narcissus propagation methods and narcissus varieties introduced for everyone. Is everyone clear now? For more home knowledge, please pay attention.
How Does Narcissus Propagate? Narcissus Benefits and Effects
Narcissus is white as snow and richly fragrant. Placing it at home can not only beautify the home but also has some other benefits and effects. Below, we introduce the propagation methods of narcissus and the benefits and effects of narcissus.
How Does Narcissus Propagate
1. Lateral bulb propagation
This is the most common and commonly used propagation method. The storage bulbs grow on both sides outside the bulb, connected to the mother bulb only at the base, and easily separate from the mother on their own; in autumn, separate them from the mother bulb and plant them separately, and new bulbs are produced the following year.
2. Lateral bud propagation
Lateral buds are buds wrapped inside the bulb. Only when the bulb is scooped out do they separate from the mother together with the broken scales dug out; pick out the white buds and scatter-sow them on a seedling bed in autumn, and new bulbs are produced the following year.
3. Twin-scaling propagation
A single bulb contains many lateral buds, some clearly visible and some hidden. But the basic rule is one bud every two scales. Using a basal plate with two scales as propagation material is called twin-scaling propagation. The method is to first keep the bulb at a low temperature of 4-10°C for 4-8 weeks, then at room temperature cut the basal plate into small pieces so that each piece has two scales, and cut off the upper end of the scales, leaving 2 cm as propagation material; then use a plastic bag holding vermiculite at 50% moisture or sand at 6% moisture, put the propagation material into the bag, seal the bag opening, and place it in a dark place at 20-28°C. After 2-3 months small bulbs can grow, with a bulb formation rate of 80-90%. This is a new method developed in recent years; it can be done in all four seasons, but 4-9 is best. The small bulbs produced have a high survival rate after transplanting, up to 80-100%.
4. Tissue culture
Use MS medium with 30 grams of sucrose and 5 grams of activated carbon added per liter, use shoot tips as explants, or use a stem plate with twin scales measuring 5×10 mm as explants, pH 5-7; put into 20x100 mm glass tubes, 10 ml of medium per tube, and after sterilization, insert one explant per tube, then culture at 25°C; 10 days after inoculation small protrusions appear, after 20 days they become small bulbs, and after 1 month they are transferred to medium containing NAA 0.1/mg 1/2MS; after 6-8 weeks they have leaves and roots, and when transplanted into the field, survival can be 100%. When shoot tips are used as explants, it also has a virus-removal effect.
Narcissus Benefits and Effects
1. Beautifying the home
Narcissus has a magical effect. Its slender leaves, deep green color, white petals with yellowish pollen, and below them a root unlike any other, supporting the whole curvaceous body, give it a rare plant appearance, making narcissus stand out considerably among plants; it naturally has a very different effect on beautifying the home. After getting used to other plants that look much the same, looking again at the distinctive-looking narcissus gives a special pleasure.
2. Medicinal value
Narcissus, a plant of the Amaryllidaceae, uses the bulb as medicine. Collected in spring and autumn, washed free of mud and sand, blanched in boiling water, then sliced and dried in the sun or used fresh. Bitter and pungent in taste, cold in nature. Slightly toxic. It mainly clears heat and detoxifies, disperses nodules, and reduces swelling. It is used for mumps, and for boils, sores, and early-stage red, swollen, hot, and painful sores; narcissus root is the bulb of the Amaryllidaceae plant narcissus. Its effect is to clear heat and detoxify; after being pounded and applied or pounded into juice and painted on, it can treat swollen sores and toxins, insect bites, and fish bones stuck in the throat, but note that this product is toxic and should not be taken internally; if the bulb is eaten in relatively large amounts, there will be mild toxicity. Some people confuse it with onion -- those who mistakenly eat narcissus bulbs will experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
3. Cleaning ability
We usually see narcissus in ponds quite often, and the water where narcissus is placed is generally relatively clear; in many cases the bottom of the pond can be seen, proving that narcissus has a very strong decontamination ability. Placing a clump at home has the same decontamination effect on the air. If there is a place at home that is especially ventilated and the air is very turbid, consider placing one or two narcissus there. At the same time, note that narcissus kept at home should be placed in a good position, not where children can touch it and not in the kitchen where water and food are boiled or cooked, because if by accident a child eats food or rice with narcissus pollen, once a certain amount is reached, poisoning may occur.