You’re all very smart cookies. There’s a good chance you already know what we’re about to dish out here. But on the off chance you don’t, we wanted to avert a crisis!
Heirloom narcissus season is here and we’ll have thousands of them pouring in from our farms over the next few weeks. We love these harbingers of spring with their ruffled flutes, delicate fragrance and overall nostalgia. But they have a deadly secret.
Narcissus ooze a clear sticky sap from their cut stems. This sap, when leaked into the water in a vase with other flowers, can cause the early demise of its flower friends, like ranunculus and hellebore. It’s a rather inconvenient trait, isn’t it?
The workaround is to trim narcissus to the height you need in designs and then let them stand in a vase by themselves over night before inserting into arrangements. Do not cut the stem again! A fresh cut means fresh ooze. So we recommend cutting them about a half inch shorter than you think you’ll want so you don’t have to snip them again.
Be careful with this sap around your eyes. It can make your eyes sting so wash your hands well after processing narcissus. Some people with sensitive skin may get a rash too.
This is not to put you off narcissus! Quite the opposite! We’re here to arm you with helpful tips and tricks so you can enjoy all the delicate beauty of locally-grown stems!
Most of our narcissus will be coming to you in a tighter bud stage. You’ll need a few days to get them open before an event. If you’re in a hurry and need fully open blooms right away, leave a message for us in your order notes and we can be sure to get them unfurling for you in advance.
Like learning about specific blooms? Check out more of our crop profiles here on the blog.