Herb: Jonquil


Latin name: Narcissus jonquilla


Family: Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis Family)



Edible parts of Jonquil:

Flowers - raw or candied and made into desserts.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Bulb


Height:
30 cm
(11 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
April


Scent:
Scented
Bulb

Habitat of the herb:

Rocky hillsides, often on limestone, also in meadows and damp places.

Other uses of Jonquil:

An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in perfumery. 1 kg of flowers yields 1g absolute of essential oil.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. A short stratification will improve the germination of stored seed. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be left undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Give them an occasional liquid feed in the growing season to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants become dormant in the summer, pot up the small bulbs placing 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another one or two years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer. Division of bulbs after the leaves die down in early summer. Larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in the autumn. It is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on for a year before planting them out when dormant in the autumn.

Cultivation of Jonquil:

Rocky hillsides, often on limestone, also in meadows and damp places.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Narcissus jonquilla:

Although we have no records for this species, many if not all members of this genus are poisonous.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.