From the earliest Spring Festival Galas to the present in countless homes, Narcissus is the most popular and oldest type of flower for the Spring Festival.
Narcissus, known as the “first flower of spring,” is highly regarded. In many ordinary households, it is customary to raise a pot of narcissus every winter. For them, raising narcissus is a unique ritual in the twelfth lunar month. Along with preparing for the New Year, pasting spring couplets, and cleaning the house, it brews and accumulates a sense of anticipation and waiting. The symbolism of narcissus includes auspiciousness, elegance, reunion, bravery, and strength, making it an elegant cultural symbol. In the southern dialect, the pronunciation of “narcissus” is similar to “who will prosper,” adding a sense of blessing and luck—having narcissus at home brings prosperity every year.
How to Choose Narcissus?
Narcissus that has been sculpted is called “crab claw narcissus.” Its leaves are curved and not long. The sculpting of narcissus is for plasticity, allowing the leaves to grow along the path you design, making it grow more “vivid.” Sculpted narcissus controls cell growth, causing the leaves and flower branches to bend and twist, achieving the purpose of dwarfing and directional growth. If the root ball has not been sculpted, long leaves will appear, and there will be a phenomenon of leaves and flower buds competing for nutrients, causing the flower buds in the flower buds to turn yellow and shrivel.
Hydroponic Care for Narcissus
Narcissus requires a considerable amount of light and prefers abundant sunlight. It will have difficulty blooming without sunlight. Narcissus prefers cool temperatures and thrives at 10-15 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is too high, it will grow rapidly, producing only leaves without flowering. The water quality for hydroponic narcissus should be clean and pure, preferably using natural water sources such as well water, rainwater, or river water. If these are not available, letting tap water stand for 2-3 days is also acceptable. Cloudy water can easily cause bacterial infections in narcissus, so if the water becomes cloudy, it should be changed promptly. The growth environment for narcissus should maintain good ventilation to ensure air circulation. Under suitable conditions, narcissus will bloom in about 25-30 days.