Narcissus 'Thalia'
triandrus daffodil bulbs
Fantastically fragrant and producing between two and four creamy white flowers on each 35-40cm tall stem, this elegant Triandrus daffodil...
Looks fragile with its three-headed stems of starry, ice-white flowers which come oh so late! Invaluable on its own or with sultry late single tulips and tough, tough, tough despite the frail look!
Plant description
Introduced over 100 years ago, Narcissus ‘Thalia’ offers an abundance of old world charm, but don’t be fooled by its delicate appearance, as this daffodil is super-easy to grow. Once planted, it will come back year after year in ever-increasing numbers, forming naturalised swathes in borders or lawns.
Triandrus daffodils and when to plant them
Daffodils form a big and diverse group, so for ease of identification, they’re sorted into 13 different divisions. ‘Thalia’ belongs to Division 5 - the Triandrus daffodils, which typically produce two or more relatively small (up to 5cm in diameter) nodding flowers per stem. Commonly referred to as Angel's-tears daffodils, or sometimes Orchid daffodils, the narcissi that fall into this group often have a sweet perfume, while their slightly reflexed perianth segments (the petal-like sections) that surround the corolla (or central cup) give the flowers a windswept appearance.Ideally Triandrus daffodil bulbs should be given plenty of time to put on strong root growth before the soil temperatures start to dip, so September planting is advised. They can however go in the ground as early as mid to late August (provided they are kept well watered), or as late as October or November.
Goes well with pairings
‘Thalia’ looks fabulous in most planting schemes, and as it tolerates partial shade and excess moisture better than most daffodils, it’s also easier to place in the garden.Plant en-masse in generous swathes through a sun-drenched lawn or border to create breathtaking displays, or use it to underplant deciduous trees and shrubs. If you want to mix it in the border, try planting it with early-flowering perennials such as , Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve', Aubretia 'Purple Cascade' and Primula elatior.
Alternatively, using just a selection of bulbs, you can create a succession of jewel-like colours that will last from January to July by combining it with , Scilla forbesii 'Violet Beauty', Muscari armeniacum, Ipheion uniflorum 'Wisley Blue', Fritillaria meleagris,Tulipa 'Ronaldo, Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' and Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus. Or, for a pristine, all-white display of spring-flowering bulbs, blend ‘Thalia with Anemone blanda 'White Splendour', Fritillaria persica 'Ivory bells', Tulipa 'White Prince' and Fritillaria meleagris var. unicolor subvar. alba.
Collections included in
We love the sweet perfume and sheer exuberance that ‘Thalia’ brings to the spring garden, so we’ve woven into several of our pre-designed bulb collections. To create a fresh, bicolored display that’s perfect for pots or border edges, we’ve paired it with Narcissus 'Jack Snipe' and Narcissus 'Sweetness' in our dainty daffodil collection. Also, for a soft and subtle colourway, our Rose water daffodil collection matches ‘Thalia’ with the pure white Narcissus 'Starlight Sensation' and the pink and lemon-flushed Narcissus 'Bell Song'. Our Narcussus 'Snow Fusion' collection offers some of our favourite white-flowering daffodils, including Narcissus 'Ice King', Narcissus 'Misty Glen', Narcissus 'Lieke' - and of course ‘Thalia’. Here the focus is on diversity of shape and form, with subtle hints of green and yellow to add a touch of variation to the colour palette. Finally, our Spring posie bulb collection has a wilder feel about it. Perfect for less structured planting schemes (like cottage gardens or meadows), it contains Fritillaria meleagris (snakes head fritillary) and Muscari latifolium (grape hyacinth) as well as Narcissus ‘Thalia’. This collection is a great choice for the home florist, because if plant it in abundance, you'll have sufficient for your own vases, as well as plenty more to give bouquets for friends and family.Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth
Average
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil, or peat-free general purpose compost
Hardiness
Fully hardy
How to care for Narcissus Thalia:
In spring, after the flowers have faded, nip off the spent flowerheads, but the stems and leaves should be allowed to die back naturally. In this way, they can then draw their energy back down into the bulb, where it can be stored for the next year's growth.
Daffodils also do extremely well in pots or window boxes filled with a good-quality potting compost. For a one-off seasonal treat, they can be planted shallowly and more densely, and perhaps topped with seasonal bedding such as winter-flowering pansies and primroses After they’ve flowered they can then be re-planted as above in the borders or lawn.
Please note:
Warning
GOES WELL WITH
Bulb blindness
Bulbs produce lovely foliage but no flowers. Either no buds at all appear or those that do are dry and virtually empty of petals. Daffodils (Narcissi) are usually the worst affects, especially multi-headed or double forms.
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