Narcissus tazetta (paperwhite, bunch-flowered narcissus, bunch-flowered daffodil, Chinese sacred lily, cream narcissus, joss flower, polyanthus narcissus) is a perennial ornamental plant that grows from a bulb. Cultivars of N. tazetta include 'Paperwhite', 'Grand Soleil d'Or' and 'Ziva', which are popularly used for forcing indoors, as is the form of N. tazetta known as Chinese Sacred Lily.
Description
Narcissus tazetta is amongst the tallest of the narcissi, and can grow to a height of up to , with thin, flat leaves up to long and wide. Umbels have as many as 8 flowers, white with a yellow corona.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Six subspecies are accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families:
N. tazetta subsp. aureus (Jord. & Fourr.) Baker syn. N. bertolonii – south-east France, Sardinia, north-west Italy, Algeria, Morocco N. tazetta subsp. canariensis (Burb.) Baker – Canary Islands N. tazetta subsp. chinensis (M.Roem.) Masam. & Yanagih. – south-east China, Japan, South Korea N. tazetta subsp. corcyrensis (Herb.) Baker – Corfu (Greece) N. tazetta subsp. italicus (Ker Gawl.) Baker syn. N. italicus – Mediterranean from southern France to Greece N. tazetta subsp. tazetta – widely distributed from the western Mediterranean to Afghanistan
Ecology
Narcissus tazetta contains a fragrant compound found in only a few other plants, including roses and Acnistus arborescens, called orcinol dimethyl ether, which is almost undetectable to the human nose. Experiments with honeybees have shown they can readily detect it.
Distribution
Narcissus tazetta is a widespread species, native to the Mediterranean region from Portugal to Turkey. It is also naturalized across the Middle East, Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan, as well as the Canary Islands, China (Fujian, Zhejiang), Japan, Australia, Korea, Norfolk Island, New Zealand, Bermuda, Mexico and the United States (Oregon, California, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia) and South America.
Uses
Narcissus tazetta is grown commercially for its essential oil, mostly in southern France. An interspecies hybrid, with Narcissus poeticus, is also grown for its essential oil.