Small-cupped daffodil (Narcissus 'Green Pearl')

Overview

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ is a highly appealing Small-cupped daffodil, prized for its elegant blooms presented in mid-to-late spring. This perennial bulb offers charming flowers featuring pure white petals contrasting beautifully with a distinct white cup accented by a green center or eye. As a division IX poeticus daffodil, Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ stands as a fragrant and showy mainstay, bringing reliable color after other early spring bloomers fade.

This variety thrives with low maintenance once established, preferring average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Gardeners value the Small-cupped daffodil for its ability to naturalize, filling spaces between shrubs or blooming freely in woodland settings over many years. Proper planting in the fall ensures a beautiful, pest-resistant display come April.

The striking visual appeal and fragrance of Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ make it an excellent choice for cutting gardens or as a mass planting focal point early in the growing season. Its hardiness across USDA Zones 3 through 8 ensures widespread success for gardeners seeking reliable spring bulbs.

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 with green eye
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Water Needs: Medium
• Maintenance Level: Low

How to Grow

Planting Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ bulbs should occur in early to mid-fall, allowing the roots sufficient time to establish before winter sets in. They perform best in organically rich loams, requiring well-drained soil; poor drainage is the main threat to bulb health. Plant each bulb 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall, ensuring at least three inches of soil covers the top, spacing them between 4 to 10 inches apart, depending on the bulb size.

During the active growing season, keep the soil uniformly moist, though the bulbs tolerate drought once the foliage yellows following bloom. After the Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ flowers fade, remove the spent flower stem above the foliage to prevent seed formation. Crucially, allow the foliage to remain intact until it naturally yellows—this process replenishes the bulb’s energy reserves for the following year.

These daffodils readily naturalize and can be left undisturbed for many years. If the bloom quality or quantity decreases significantly, it is time to divide the clumps. Division should be executed shortly after the foliage has completely died back in late spring or early summer. Position plantings so that any permanent shade falls behind the flowers, as the blooms naturally orient themselves toward the sun.

Landscape Uses

Daffodils, including the Small-cupped daffodil variety ‘Green Pearl’, are unparalleled for creating sweeping drifts of color in informal settings. Unlike many spring ephemerals, these bulbs reliably return year after year, making them perfect for naturalizing under deciduous trees or in open woodland areas where they receive sun before the canopy fills in. Plant them in generous quantities—aiming for groupings of at least six bulbs—to create the most impactful display.

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ works exceptionally well incorporated into mixed perennial borders, providing necessary early-season structure and vibrancy before summer perennials dominate. They look wonderful planted in front of evergreen shrubs, where the emerging green foliage provides a neat backdrop for the white and green flowers. They also mix harmoniously with other spring-flowering bulbs like early tulips or grape hyacinths, creating complex, layered seasonal interest.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy
• Fragrant

Noteworthy Characteristics

Narcissus is a genus of about 50 species of bulbous perennials from Europe and North Africa, serving as a vital component of the spring garden. ‘Green Pearl’ specifically falls into division IX as a poeticus daffodil, characterized by its small cup and white petals, though in this case, the cup is white with a green center. The flowers, reaching 15-17” tall, bloom late midseason (April) and make for an excellent fresh cut flower selection.

Tolerances

• Rabbit
• Deer
• Drought

Potential Problems

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ is generally robust and avoids serious insect or disease issues, especially when planted in appropriate, well-draining soil. The primary cultural problem is bulb rot, which occurs when soil remains overly soggy or poorly drained. Infrequently, gardeners might encounter pests like slugs and snails, or scale mites.

To maintain optimal health, ensuring excellent drainage is paramount; amending heavy clay soil with organic matter is essential for long-term success. While deer and rabbits typically avoid consuming these bulbs, vigilance for slugs when new shoots emerge in early spring may be necessary, particularly in damp conditions. Should the Narcissus yellow stripe virus appear, infected bulbs should be carefully removed and discarded to prevent spread.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Small-cupped daffodil suitable for?

The Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ is well-suited for a wide range of climates, thriving in USDA Zones 3 through 8.

How large does Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ grow?

At maturity, this Small-cupped daffodil typically reaches a height between 1 and 1.5 feet, with a spread ranging from 0.5 to 0.75 feet.

What sun exposure does Small-cupped daffodil need?

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ adapts well to a variety of light conditions, performing best in full sun or lightly shaded areas, such as part shade.

When does Small-cupped daffodil bloom?

This variety flowers reliably in April, producing its signature blooms described as white with a green eye.

Conclusion

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ offers gardeners a low-effort, high-reward return each spring, highlighted by its unique fragrance and the crisp white and green coloration of its Small-cupped daffodil blooms. Its naturalizing habit and resilience against common pests make it indispensable for early-season design. Before planting, confirm you meet the light and drainage requirements for USDA Zones 3-8 to ensure decades of reliable performance.

Companion Planting

Selecting neighbors for Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ should focus on plants that share similar cultural needs—primarily, bright spring light and excellent drainage that dries out by mid-summer. As the daffodil foliage yellows in late spring, early-season perennials can take over the space visually. Consider planting late-blooming tulips or hardy geraniums nearby whose foliage can mask the dying daffodil leaves.

Combining the Small-cupped daffodil with early-blooming Iris cultivars or Muscari (grape hyacinth) enhances the spring tapestry. Since daffodils are deer and rabbit resistant, interplanting them with desirable, susceptible perennials can offer incidental protection to those neighbors early in the season. The sharp, linear green foliage of Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ contrasts nicely with low-growing groundcovers like Phlox subulata.

Design Ideas for Spring Drifts

For maximum impact, treat Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ as a mass element rather than a singular accent. Plant bulbs in sweeping, irregular drifts rather than rigid rows to mimic how they appear in nature. This naturalizing effect is enhanced when bulbs are scattered from a height while standing at the planting site.

Consider planting these bulbs beneath young deciduous specimen trees, such as Japanese maples or flowering cherries. The Small-cupped daffodil will provide color before the tree canopy leafs out, and once the foliage fades, the empty space beneath the tree mulch looks tidy. If using containers, mix Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’ with late-flowering pansies or violas for continuous color interest by the doorstep.