About 15 years ago, a friend gave me three jonquil bulbs and said "boy will you be surprised when these bloom!" I was because they bloomed far earlier than any other jonquils I had planted. They have been quite prolific and my 3 bulbs have grown to more than 100! I have a good friend who judges jonquil shows and she was convinced that they are Rijnveld's Early Sensation. I ordered 100 early sensation bulbs and planted them between two groups of my early blooming bulbs. As you can see from this picture (which was taken SE of Atlanta today) the mystery bulbs are blooming about 2 weeks earlier than the Early Sensation bulbs.


Here is a close up of the trumpet of the first Early Sensation bulb to bloom this season.




This is a close up of the trumpet of one of many mystery jonquils. It is shorter and fatter than the trumpet of early sensation. Of course, another possibility is that I was not sent true early sensation bulbs when I ordered them.


Do any of you have any idea what my mystery jonquil bulb is? I'm wondering if it is a subspecies of Early Sensation.

Ask this group, if anyone would know they would: https://www.fluwel.com/custome...

They have always been great about answering questions, family owned.

Since they are so early, I would guess that both are "Early Sensations". The soil, sun, health of the bulbs, ETC. have a big effect on the bloom time. Your original bulbs may be different (maybe February Gold). Early Sensations are taller, and the bloom is larger. I also see hellebores and hardy ferns in your pictures. I have some pictures in "blogs" that might help.

Thanks so much TShutters. I had wondered if they both might be a sub species of Early Sensation. Both of these bloom before February Gold. Whatever they are, I love them!

I'll check out your blog.

Newly planted daffodils tend to bloom about 2 weeks late their first year. The reason is that they are late in making roots and this delays them putting up leaves and flowers. Even if your new bulbs are the same cultivar as the ones that have been in the ground for awhile, they will flower later the first year. In succeeding years, they should flower at the same time if they truly are the same...and planted in the same location.

But you might have a different cultivar. To me, it looks and sounds like it could be Golden Spur, a parent of February Gold. I grow this one and it is very prolific and increases quickly. It is an old one that is in many older gardens in my area of NC.
Trumpet Daffodil (Narcissus 'Golden Spur')

gregnc said: Newly planted daffodils tend to bloom about 2 weeks late their first year. The reason is that they are late in making roots and this delays them putting up leaves and flowers. Even if your new bulbs are the same cultivar as the ones that have been in the ground for awhile, they will flower later the first year. In succeeding years, they should flower at the same time if they truly are the same...and planted in the same location.

But you might have a different cultivar. To me, it looks and sounds like it could be Golden Spur, a parent of February Gold. I grow this one and it is very prolific and increases quickly. It is an old one that is in many older gardens in my area of NC.
Trumpet Daffodil (Narcissus 'Golden Spur')

• Trumpet Daffodil (Narcissus 'Golden Spur')
• Uploaded by gregnc

I just saw this gregnc. I'll definitely be looking into golden-spur! Do you have any idea where I could buy Golden Spur. I have looked online and can't find a source. The purchased early sensation have been in the ground three years so I doubt that is the issue. Thanks so much for your reply!

Hi Alice,
The only place I've seen 'Golden Spur' for sale is https://oldhousegardens.com/st...

A great source for heirloom plants!