Daffodil Journal 2017: 'Wintersun' vs. 'Nir'

I got some more photos of 'Wintersun' and 'Nir' for comparison's sake.

Narcissus 'Nir' on left and 'Wintersun' on right.

And some more of 'Wintersun' for beauty's sake (if you can't tell, I'm smitten with this one).

Daffodil Journal 2017: 'Wintersun'

Last week I wrote about the first Narcissus of the season, the paperwhite 'Nir'. The first flowers of 'Nir' opened December 26. Next up is another winter-blooming Tazetta daffodil, 'Wintersun' from Brent and Becky's Bulbs. The first blooms opened December 30.

Narcissus 'Wintersun' 8 W-Y

While 'Wintersun' was opening, we received record-breaking rain. About half of the stems of 'Nir' flopped over to the ground, while stems of 'Wintersun' endured it with ease. In comparison to 'Nir', 'Wintersun' has smaller, more durable flowers (a little more than half the size), which undoubtedly contributed to their faring the rain better. I can't blame 'Nir' for flopping over in the rain, since it was bred to grow indoors.

They both have a more or less similar paperwhite fragrance. 'Nir''s petals and cups are a pristine, iridescent white, while 'Wintersun' has more offwhite/greenish petals and yellow cups.

'Wintersun'

'Wintersun' has a very upright habit, with foliage spread like an inverted cone, and slightly taller than 'Nir', whose foliage tends to flop dog-ear and lie flatter. 'Wintersun' has glossier, narrow, green-yellow foliage, while 'Nir' has broader leaves of a more glaucous blue color.

'Wintersun', clump view.

In all, 'Wintersun' is a lovely daffodil, perhaps better for rainy outdoor situations than other paperwhites, and with yellow cups that serve as a sunny sneak preview of spring in mid-winter.

'Admiral Semmes'

The 'Admiral Semmes' azalea I planted a few years ago is blooming now.

Rhododendron 'Admiral Semmes'

It's a native azalea hybrid. Raphael Semmes was a Catholic Confederate naval officer of international fame (or infamy) in the War Between the States. On the CSS Alabama, he captured 65 U.S. merchant vessels and destroyed the USS Hatteras. After the war he settled in Mobile. I made a little "pilgrimage" to his grave in the old Catholic cemetery there a few years ago.

The Narcissus I crossed and grew from seed is flowering also. It was the first plant I crossed and raised myself, and the first time I started bulbs from seed. The flowers are dime-sized, but profuse and very fragrant.

Narcissus "Ross's strain"

Pepper watched me garden.