Many of us associate the Daffodils with Holland or England. Logical, because the Daffodils are grown on a large scale in these countries. In Holland mainly for the production of the bulbs for their world-wide trade of Daffodils. In England it is all about the cheerful Daffodil flowers that are picked by the millions during the months of winter to end up in a nice little vase on your kitchen table.

What many of us not know is the crib of this cheery flower is to be found on the Iberian Peninsula. You can find them growing wild in Spain and Portugal the same way we dandelions do over here.

Spread over the Peninsula dozens of species Daffodils are to be found. From Tazetta and the bulbocodium in the south till the pseudonarcissus and the poeticus in the Himalaya.

The Narcissus bulbocodium is also tenderly called the hoop petticoat Daffodil. She is not very well known yet among gardeners but in large parts of Spain and Portugal she is a common plant. You can find her high up in the rocky mountains as well as in swampy meadows.

Mary Poppins and Oxford Gold are two hoop petticoat Daffodils in our web shop and closely related to the species bulbocodium.

Also, the ancestor of the famous Daffodil Thalia come from the land of the bolero, the tapas and the siesta. Thalia is bred from the species Narcissus triandrus.

In dryer areas you can find this little daffodil in great numbers.

When you want to see what the Narcissus triandrus looks like you might plant some Angel’s Breath. This lovely little Daffodil with het sweet name looks exactly like the species.

The pseudonarcissus and the narcissus poeticus also crossed the border. You can also find the pseudonarcissus in France. In the Fluwel web shop you can find Narcissus Princeps, she is a selection from the true France pseudonarcissus.

The poeticus Daffodil is to be found by the millions in the Alpes. The Narcissus recurvus, also called Pheasant’s Eye, is one of these poeticus daffodil that you still might find growing in the wild.

Narcissus Actaea also is closely related to these Daffodils. You can find both of them in my web shop.

If you ever are in Spain in the springtime, keep your eyes open. You might run into one of these ancestors of the beautiful modern Daffodils.

Quite often they just grow on the roadside, but when you take a hike the change is bigger finding a few of them.

Also, on mountain sites, in places where you do not expect them, they might grow. But do look closely, the flowers of species Daffodil often are tiny.

There are a few true species Daffodils available in our web shop. The fernandesii, moschatus, pumilus, tenuior, and the recurvus are all Daffodils that also still grow in the Spanish nature.

Best regards and lots of Daffodil pleasure,

Carlos van der Veek