medicinal herbs
Bunchflower Daffodil
Narcissus tazetta

Herb: Bunchflower Daffodil

Latin name: Narcissus tazetta

Family: Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis Family)

Medicinal use of Bunchflower Daffodil:

Demulcent. Used in the treatment of boils and mastitis. The root is emetic. It is used to relieve headaches. The chopped root is applied externally as an antiphlogistic and analgesic poultice to abscesses, boils and other skin complaints. The plant has a folklore of effectiveness against certain forms of cancer. This might be due to benzaldehyde changing to laetrile-like compounds or to lycorine changing to lycobetaine-like compounds in the body.

Description of the plant:

Plant:

Bulb

Height:

50 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:

January to
February

Scent:

Scented
Bulb

Habitat of the herb:

Fields, meadows and garigue, especially in damp places, in the Mediterranean.

Other uses of Bunchflower Daffodil:

An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in perfumery.

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 Bunchflower Daffodil: