Double daffodil (Narcissus 'Delnashaugh')
Narcissus 'Delnashaugh' is a celebrated Double daffodil boasting white petals and apricot-pink centers, perfect for spring color.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ stands out as a highly valuable addition to the early spring garden, primarily due to its distinctive, ruffled double blooms. This specific variety, categorized as a Double daffodil (Division IV), offers an attractive combination of pristine white petals surrounding segments shaded in apricot-pink at the center. As a resilient bulb, it reliably returns year after year, providing low-maintenance color when many other perennials are just stirring.
Growing Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ is straightforward for gardeners with average to medium moisture conditions. It prefers a location offering full sun to light afternoon shade, ensuring excellent soil drainage is maintained throughout the year for the best performance. The dependable emergence of these striking flowers makes the Double daffodil a mainstay for creating layered spring interest.
Valued for their substantial springtime impact, these daffodils mix beautifully with other early bloomers and naturalize well over time. Gardeners appreciate the robust nature of this plant, which reliably emerges to announce the end of winter, making Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ a favorite for mass plantings and borders.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Plant Type: Bulb
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1-1.5 ft
- Spread: 0.5-0.75 ft
- Bloom Time: April
- Bloom Description: White petals with apricot-pink corona
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting time for Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ bulbs is early to mid-fall, allowing time for root development before the ground freezes. Choose a location with well-drained, organically rich loam, as excellent drainage is crucial to prevent bulb rot regardless of whether you are growing this double daffodil in full sun or partial shade. Planting depth depends on bulb size, but generally, bulbs should be set two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall, resulting in about 3 inches of soil covering the top. Space bulbs 4 to 10 inches apart; close spacing creates a denser display sooner, while wider spacing allows the clumps to fill in naturally over several years.
Ongoing care for these bulbs is minimal once established, fitting its low maintenance rating. While soils should remain medium moist during the active spring growing season, the foliage must be left intact after flowering. Only remove the spent flower stalk, leaving the leaves to yellow naturally; this process replenishes the bulb’s energy stores for next year’s bloom, which is vital for Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ performance.
These bulbs can be left undisturbed for many seasons. If the quantity or quality of the double daffodil blooms begins to diminish, it indicates the clump needs dividing. Perform this division just after the foliage fully dies back in late spring or early summer. When positioning plantings, remember that the flowers generally face the sun, so place any overhead shade structures behind the planting area.
Landscape Uses
Daffodils, including the distinctive Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’, offer superior value over annuals because they reliably return and naturalize over time. They excel when planted in generous quantities—think groupings of at least six bulbs minimum, scaling up to large, sweeping drifts—to maximize their visual impact in borders or massed beneath deciduous trees where they receive sun before the canopy leafs out.
The structure provided by the erect, strap-shaped foliage of this Double daffodil works well when positioned in front of evergreen shrubs, softening their bases as the garden transitions from winter dormancy. They are excellent foreground elements in mixed perennial beds, blending seamlessly with early spring bloomers like Grape Hyacinths or low-growing bulbs.
For established spring gardens, consider planting Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ among late tulips or emerging irises, ensuring that the fading daffodil leaves are obscured by the developing summer perennials. Their drought tolerance during dormancy also means they integrate well into rock gardens or slightly drier woodland edges where overhead canopy limits summer water availability.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Narcissus is a genus of about 50 species of bulbous perennials from Europe and North Africa that serve as mainstays of the spring garden. Flowers typically display a central cup or trumpet (the corona) surrounded by six petals, featured in a wide array of colors. ‘Delnashaugh’ is specifically classified in Division IV as a double daffodil, meaning its corona segments and/or perianth segments are doubled, resulting in its unique texture. This cultivar rises 13-15 inches tall, presenting white petals contrasting beautifully with apricot-pink center segments, and is noted as an excellent fresh cut flower.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
Potential Problems
Daffodils are generally recognized as being pest-free when cultural requirements, particularly soil drainage, are met. The primary issue is bulb rot, which occurs when soils are poorly drained or too heavy, suffocating the dormant bulbs. Infrequent insect visitors might include the narcissus bulb fly or narcissus nematode, though these are uncommon. Slugs and snails can occasionally damage emerging foliage. Protect against the infrequent Narcissus yellow stripe virus by purchasing healthy stock and ensuring plant vigor through proper feeding and sunlight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Double daffodil suitable for?
Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ is highly adaptable, suitable for growing successfully in USDA Zones 3 through 8.
How large does Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ grow?
This variety typically achieves a mature height between 1 and 1.5 feet tall, with a spread of about 0.5 to 0.75 feet.
What sun exposure does Double daffodil need?
For optimal blooming and health, plant Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ where it receives full sun to part shade.
When does Double daffodil bloom?
This cultivar blooms reliably in April, displaying its signature white petals with apricot-pink corona segments late in the spring season.
Conclusion
Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ provides dependable, striking beauty each spring, characterized by its fully doubled blooms featuring white and apricot-pink tones. Its low maintenance needs and resistance to common pests like deer make the Double daffodil an essential component for reliable seasonal color. Ensure you plant these bulbs in well-draining soil during the autumn months to secure a magnificent display next April.
Companion Planting
Choosing companions for Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ involves selecting plants that thrive in similar early spring conditions but have different foliage habits or bloom times to create layered interest. Plant early-blooming spring ephemerals like Scilla or Chionodoxa (Glory-of-the-Snow) around the base; these low growers will flower just before or concurrently with the daffodils and die back before the daffodil foliage yellows.
To manage the appearance of the fading daffodil leaves, pair the bulbs with emerging perennials that will soon cover them up. Hostas, Peonies, and Siberian Iris are excellent partners as their new growth will provide essential summer structure, effectively hiding the browning sword-like leaves of the double daffodil as the season progresses.
Since Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ requires medium moisture during growth but tolerates drought when dormant, select companions that appreciate moist spring soils but can handle drier summer conditions, which mirrors the bulb’s natural cycle once established.
Design Ideas for Spring Drifts
Mass planting is the cornerstone of successful daffodil design, ensuring that the relatively short stature (1 to 1.5 feet) of Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ creates a visible impact across the landscape. Plant them densely, allowing the clumps to intermingle, rather than planting individual specimens scattered randomly. This density best showcases the unique apricot-pink doubling of the bloom.
Utilize the ‘Triangle Planting’ method when grouping these bulbs; this involves staggering groups of three rather than single rows, which mimics natural growth patterns and avoids unnaturally straight lines. Place these drifts along pathways or at the front edge of perennial borders where visitors can appreciate the complex coloring of the white and pale orange tones up close.
Consider planting Narcissus ‘Delnashaugh’ in areas that receive morning sun but are shaded by deciduous trees in the hot afternoon. This mimics their native habitat preference and offers shelter, while the structure of the tree ensures that the emerging flowers receive maximum light, creating a bright, cheerful display beneath the emerging canopy.
