Narcissus 'Bell Song' (7)
daffodil 'Bell Song'
A jonquil daffodil, up to 30cm high, with grey-green leaves and two or three flower stems each carrying one or two nodding, fragrant flowers. Flowers, to 4cm across, have outer petals that open pale buff yellow, then becoming ivory-white, and pale yellowish-pink cups, from mid-spring to late spring
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Cream Pink Yellow White | Green Grey Silver | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats, tortoises): Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Narcissus are bulbous herbaceous perennials with linear leaves and leafless stems bearing flowers, which may be solitary or in umbels, with 6 spreading perianth segments and a cup or trumpet-shaped corona
- Name status
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Jonquilla and Apodanthus daffodils have very narrow cylindrical leaves and stems with up to 5, usually fragrant, flowers per stem, with spreading perianth segments and a small cup
How to grow
Cultivation
Plant bulbs at one-and-a-half times their own depth in autumn, slightly deeper in light soils and in grass, in well-drained, preferably slightly alkaline, soil that is reasonably moist in the growing season in spring, in full sun or light dappled shade, though they will flower best in full sun. See also daffodil cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division: separate and replant offsets as the leaves fade in early summer, or in early autumn before new roots are produced
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Low Maintenance
- Banks and slopes
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning
Deadhead as the flowers fade but allow the leaves to die down naturally
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs, narcissus bulb fly, narcissus eelworm, and bulb scale mite
Diseases
May be susceptible to narcissus basal rot, narcissus leaf scorch or daffodil viruses
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.