medicinal herbs
Poet's Narcissus
Narcissus poeticus

• Medicinal herbs
• Natural herbs
• Latin names
• Common names

Herb: Poet's Narcissus

Latin name: Narcissus poeticus

Family: Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis Family)

Medicinal use of Poet's Narcissus:

The bulb is powerfully emetic and irritant. A homeopathic remedy is made from the bulb.

Description of the plant:

Habitat of the herb:

Damp meadows in mountains.

Other uses of Poet's Narcissus:

An essential oil is obtained from the flowers. 500kg of the flowers yields 1kg concrete, 300gr absolute of the 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 Poet's Narcissus:

Damp meadows in mountains.

Known hazards of Narcissus poeticus:

All parts of the plant, and especially the bulb, are poisonous. The aroma of the flowers can cause some people to get a headache when they are in a closed room.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.