Double daffodil (Narcissus 'White Lion')
Narcissus 'White Lion' is a robust Double daffodil offering gardenia-like white and yellow blooms in mid-April. Low maintenance and deer resistant.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Narcissus ‘White Lion’ stands out in the spring landscape, celebrated for its unique, highly textured flowers. This cultivar belongs to the division of Double daffodil, featuring creamy white petals surrounding shorter, dense yellow segments, creating a gardenia-like appearance. As a dependable perennial bulb, it offers dependable mid-season color without demanding intensive care.
Providing reliable beauty year after year, planting the Narcissus ‘White Lion’ ensures a vibrant display when much of the garden is just waking up. Gardeners praise this bulb for its low maintenance requirements and resilience against common garden pests like deer and rabbits. Its striking double form makes it an excellent focal point in early spring plantings.
These traditional spring bloomers herald the season’s warmth, emerging vigorously in average soils. Ensuring excellent drainage is the primary requirement for success with the Double daffodil, allowing them to naturalize beautifully over time with very little intervention needed from the gardener.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Plant Type: Bulb
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1-1.5 ft
- Spread: 0.75-1 ft
- Bloom Time: April
- Bloom Description: White and yellow (double)
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting Narcissus ‘White Lion’ bulbs should occur in the early to mid-fall to allow for sufficient root development before the ground freezes. These bulbs thrive in organically rich loams, provided the soil offers excellent drainage, which is critical to preventing bulb rot. Plant each bulb 2 to 3 times as deep as its height, ensuring at least 3 inches of soil covers the top; spacing generally ranges from 4 to 10 inches apart depending on the size of the bulb cluster.
Watering needs are considered medium while the plants are actively growing in the spring, keeping the soil uniformly moist throughout flowering and foliage development. However, once dormant, this Double daffodil tolerates drought quite well. No significant fertilization is usually required if planted in rich loams, though they generally prefer minimal intervention.
After the exquisite white and yellow flowers of Narcissus ‘White Lion’ fade in the spring, deadhead the faded bloom stems to prevent seed production. Crucially, allow the foliage to remain intact until it yellows naturally; cutting the leaves back prematurely removes stored energy needed for next year’s bloom cycle. Bulbs can be left undisturbed for years, but if clumps become overcrowded, divide them immediately after the foliage dies back.
Landscape Uses
Daffodils, unlike some other spring ephemeral bulbs, are fantastic naturalizers, making Narcissus ‘White Lion’ an excellent choice for creating sweeping drifts of color that reliably return each year. They perform admirably when planted in masses of six or more bulbs in mixed perennial beds, along borders, or naturalized beneath deciduous trees where they receive sun before the canopy fills out. Because flowers generally track the sun, position plantings so that any nearby shade areas are behind the display for optimal viewing.
This specific cultivar blends well with other early spring bloomers such as grape hyacinths (Muscari) or early tulips, providing textural contrast with their dense, double flowers set against simpler forms. Their tolerance to deer and rabbits further secures their place in settings where browsing is a concern. Consider using Narcissus ‘White Lion’ near pathways or entrances where their mid-season display can be easily appreciated.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Narcissus is a genus of about 50 species of bulbous perennials from Europe and North Africa, serving as a cornerstone of the spring garden. Cultivated daffodils are organized into 13 divisions based on bloom characteristics, with Narcissus ‘White Lion’ falling into Division IV as a Double daffodil. This means the corona (cup) and/or the perianth segments (petals) are doubled, resulting in gardenia-like blooms rising 16-18 inches tall in mid-spring. The narrow, strap-shaped green leaves form neat clumps, contrasting beautifully with the showy white and yellow flowers.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
Potential Problems
This group of plants, including the Narcissus ‘White Lion’, is generally noted for being pest-free when grown in appropriate, well-drained soil conditions. The primary culture issue leading to problems is poor soil drainage, which can cause bulb rot. Infrequently observed pests may include slugs, snails, narcissus bulb fly, or narcissus nematode. Management focuses on amending heavy soils with grit or organic matter before planting to ensure sharp drainage, thus discouraging most fungal issues and associated pest activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Double daffodil suitable for?
The Narcissus ‘White Lion’ is hardy and reliably perennial in USDA Zones 4-8.
How large does Narcissus ‘White Lion’ grow?
This specific Double daffodil generally reaches a height between 1 and 1.5 feet, with a spread of 0.75 to 1 foot at maturity.
What sun exposure does Double daffodil need?
For the best bloom production, Narcissus ‘White Lion’ prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade well.
When does Narcissus ‘White Lion’ bloom?
This variety typically blooms in mid-season, usually in April, offering showy white and yellow double flowers.
Conclusion
The Narcissus ‘White Lion’ delivers exceptional value to any spring garden through its reliable emergence and highly desired creamy white and yellow double blossoms. As a low-maintenance, pest-resistant Double daffodil, it provides long-term structure without annual replanting headaches. Ensure you plant your bulbs in well-drained soil this coming fall within USDA Zones 4-8 for a magnificent spring return.
Companion Planting
Companion planting around daffodils like Narcissus ‘White Lion’ should focus on plants that fill in the gap left once the daffodil foliage matures and yellows. Since daffodils require full sun during their early spring bloom but can handle part shade later, consider planting early-season perennials that thrive in dappled light as summer approaches. Good partners include Hosta varieties that tolerate more light initially, or early-blooming groundcovers like sweet woodruff or creeping phlox, which can help anchor the fading daffodil leaves from view.
When selecting companions, ensure the planting mix does not compete heavily for water, though the drought tolerance of the Double daffodil helps mitigate this risk during summer dormancy. Avoid planting aggressive spreaders too close, as they can choke out the slowly expanding clumps of Narcissus ‘White Lion’ over subsequent years, necessitating division sooner than desired.
Design Ideas
The robust structure and mid-season timing of the Narcissus ‘White Lion’] make it ideal for formal settings where neatness is prized, such as incorporating them into boxwood hedges or structured parterres. For a less formal look, mass planting is highly recommended; instead of singular dots, plant in large drifts that mimic naturalized colonies, emphasizing the impact of the white and yellow centers against green lawn or dark mulch. They also perform excellently when positioned at the back of early spring annual displays, allowing shorter plants to obscure the fading foliage.
A highly effective design technique involves planting them on a slight slope or where the ground drops away from a viewing area, utilizing their tendency to face the sun. This helps ensure that the dense, frilly centers of the Double daffodil are perfectly oriented toward the viewer. Because this variety is resistant to deer, incorporating it near entryways or frequently used seating areas maximizes enjoyment without worrying about browsing damage.
