Common Name: Wild Daffodil

General Information

Narcissus pseudonarcissus is a perennial plant growing from a bulb around 40mm in diameter; it can grow up to 45cm tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. This is one of several species that have been cultivated on a commercial scale for the extraction of the alkaloid 'galantamine', a substance used medicinally in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and also to treat several other conditions[]. The plant is also very widely cultivated as an ornamental, valued especially for its early flowers, there are many named varieties.

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are poisonous[, , ], the toxins being found mainly in the bulb[], but even the flowers are mildly toxic[]. An extract of the bulb, when applied to open wounds, has caused staggering, numbness of the whole nervous system and paralysis of the heart[].

Botanical References

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Range

Western Europe, Britain, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal

Habitat

Moist woodlands and grassland[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.45 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Narcissus pseudonarcissus is a very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to -20°c or lower.
Prefers a deep rather stiff soil but succeeds in most soils[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in sun or shade[].
Grows well on woodland edges[].
The flowers have the sweet woodland perfume of the primrose[]. This is not very discernible when only a few plants are grown, but is quite noticeable in a group of plants[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bulbs, leaves and flowers are astringent and powerfully emetic[]. The bulb, especially, is narcotic and depresses the nervous system[]. It has been used in the treatment of hysterical affections and even epilepsy with some effect[].
The juice of the plant has been applied to the scalp as a cure for baldness[].
The bulb is harvested in the winter and dried for later use[].
The flowers are harvested in dry weather when they are fully open and should be dried quickly[]. They are less powerful than the bulbs but are also considered to be antispasmodic and are useful in relieving the congestive bronchial catarrh of children and also useful in cases of epidemic dysentery[].

The bulb and the flowers are a source of the alkaloid 'galantamine', which is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Galantamine has been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and to alleviate many of its symptoms. The alkaloid has also been shown to encourage lucid dreaming and to also be of use in the treatment of a number of other conditions including poliomyelitis[].

Other Uses

A yellow to gold dye is obtained from the flowers[].

Propagation

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.