Double Daffodils
34 Cultivars Listed
One could say that this is a man-made division save for the fact that there are a few historic naturally occurring double sports. Doubles can be widely variable, common among old records the same double would be registered several times under different names. Florists love double flowers, and they love double daffodils 4 W-W and 4 W-P are like catnip for them. Daffodil judges love doubles somewhat less: if you want a ribbon pick a variety and an example that makes a well structured bloom with distinct petaloids and an overall very round shape. The older double are terrific in their own way, very free and expressive.
Double breeding really picked up in the 20th century, in general the blooms becoming more rounded, and more recently very, very large. It can be difficult on any given day to compete with Tahiti on the bench as it can make a very full and orderly bloom. But we would not hesitate to enter as many doubles as possible many of the modern doubles have great substance and petaloid counts. The class for doubles often has fewer entrants.
If you are picking doubles for floral work some markets want to see the heads at gooseneck stage just barely showing color. We think it is ok to pick slightly more open doubles as long as they are conditioned properly and kept very cold in holding.
Double daffodls are defined as "One or more flowers to a stem, with doubling of the perianth segments or the corona or both."
4 W-Y
A recently introduced double that is most like a lotus blossom when it opens a mild- yellow with an alluring symmetry. As Ambon matures into clear white and yellow it gets wide and wild. You will easily be able to select a very stunning bloom. Best as a stem, in the landscape Ambon blooms a bit in the leaves. This Daffodil is named for a city in the Moluccas in Indonesia, once a Dutch colony.
4 W-W
Androcles pulled a thorn from the paw of a pursuing lion thus befriending him. Androcles the daffodil has calmed and tamed us also, we depend on it in large numbers for the vase and the border. Its broad, softly cream colored , and long lasting blooms project a quiet roar . Bred by the American Bill Pannill who created many perfect blooms, one at at time.
4 W-Y
An antique double. A truly joyous bloomer that deserves a place in any border or cottage garden. Daughter of Telamonious Plenus and Ornatus. Given the parentage Argent should be expected to perform in the deep south, but I can't find any explicit mentions of that.
4 Y-O
Ballistic. Bright perfectly formed, well structured double with 4 inch blooms. Full throated Kiwi style from New Zealand. There is a lot of crowd swell for this daffodil, it has a very bright future in the commercial market. Photographs don't do Ballistic justice. You will so want this daffodil when you see it. We did.
4 W-Y
This recent Mark Vandervliet double is makes a really perplexingly big bulb. The double flower is equally as big and supremely well organized and detailed. Like many sumo-sized doubles she blooms in the leaves a bit but on a plenty strong stem , so much the better for the vase, the bench, and the border. I have taken ribbons with this bloom . I would like to be greeted in my garden by a platoon of Big Girls, but alas small numbers yet.
4 W-O
Double daffodils are not the most ribbon-winning bunch: only the most rounded and orderly need apply. Blossom Lady, originating from New Zealand, is definitely a ribbon candidate: bright; colorful; well-formed; well-rounded. Way back in the family tree is the historic double Mary Copeland. Extremely limited.
4 W-P
A newer dwarf double, a stuffed cup like Popeye when he is behaving himself, in delicate cream and pink. This daffodil is unregistered and is being sold elsewhere as Bon Bon, which is ca n'est pas bon ! in our book as Bon Bon is registered as an older Grant Mitsch poeticus. So for the time being we are listing this sweet confection as Bon Bombe : A Bombe being an elaborate and frilly frozen dessert . From a good grower with a great eye for daffs.
4 Y-Y
This long celebrated double is new to our list. She is a magnificent creature and as old as the hills, as fresh as the dawn. Good for all uses and certainly as a conversation piece. I seldom see Butter and Eggs on the bench, but in a historical group certainly one to have. Fabulous and luxurious North, South, East, and West.
4 W-W
An offspring of the double white daffodil Kiwi Magic. Both from New Zealand, Cameo Magic is a soft white, luxurious double bloom that is hexagonally well organized. On a good day tough to beat in competition.
4 Y-W
A double reverse Bi-Color from Mr Duncan
4 W-Y
Erlicheer is an older tazetta sport with bodacious double, strongly scented blooms. Excellent for forcing and for cut flowers. Erlicheer may struggle in Zone 6 even with some winter protection. Grows freely in the South. A singular daffodil. Classified as a double but we all know that it really behaves as a tazetta. Makes an unusually large bulb.
4 Y-O
Impressive and beefy, with a little primping and manscaping First Team is ready for competition on the show bench. Winning with doubles is rewarding, and sometimes not so hard if you have a deep bench.
4 W-O
Fragrant Spring is a luxurious double Dutch Double - She gets her powerful perfume from her mother and her double form from her father, Acropolis. We are listing it because we think it so belongs in the vase.
4 W-W
Well-named Frostbite is a spontaneous poeticus sport, extra white pointy petals intruding into the cup. Widely variable except that Frostbite retains an overall hexagonal corona shape, analogous to snowflakes. Scented Frostbite brings a lovely blast of cool to the late spring border when all of the other daffodils have melted. An intermediate, Frosty is attractive in a vase , for us blooms with Spanish Bluebells and Tulip Maureen. You will be pleasantly surprised by the the scent.
4 W-O
Normally we superlatives but we are quite okay with calling Gay Kybo one of the most beautiful narcissus blooms ever. Deep and lush white petals evenly articulated with deep orange corona bits. Stunning in any garden and a big beauty on the show bench. Organized and substantial petals that mature white. Gay Kybo is part of a larger series : Gay Challenger, Gay Time, Gay Song, that are all beautiful and now mostly gone from the trade. If you are able to find any of the Gays, you should acquire them for your garden. Gay Kybo is rumored to be a rescued discard and named after a (winning) race horse, or something more scatalogical.
4 W-Y
Keats is a strange fellow. But everybody wants him on first sight, us inclusive. Green, yellows and whites you don't see much, like finding a thick book of poetry. I have heard him called everything from "variable" to "unstable" which seems to be reverse doublespeak for "handsome". Enjoy and repeat.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever; its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness." John Keats
4 W-Y
Double headed doubles, now that's a rare thing; with jonquilla parentage Little Kiwi is upright and fragrant to boot. An intermediate, not all stems are twins.
4 Y-P
Yellow Pink doubles are unicorns, Lowena has the deepest yellow and pink colors of the breed. From New Zealand.
4 Y-O
Brian Duncan's refresh of the well-decorated English show daff Crowndale. Round and well structured, Paradale is a profoundly colored yellow and orange double daff.
4 W-Y
A North Holland native of imposing size, style and substance, Queen Behaviour is a newly registered double bred by the local legend Jan de Winter. When you transplant this beauty in your garden you too can tell the lesser competitors to sashay away. Cut flower potential.
4 W-Y
Erlicheer is a long time favorite of southern gardeners and florists for nearly a century. It was however, being sterile, a genetic dead end until Bill Welch engineered a successful cross resulting in Rachel's Magic Spell. Unique in form for both a double and a tazetta this is a daffodil that is superior in all attributes: scent, stature, strength. If you grow for florists they will flash mob this flower.
4 W-YOO
Well formed and well mannered White / Orange double daffodil. Rongoiti Gem never has a bad hair day. Bright and rounded from New Zealand.
4 W-Y
If there were ever a narcissus trying to emulate a ranunculus, then Serena Beach is it. A serene beauty, a love child of Dallas and the no longer existent Gay Song, Serena Beach will elevate a May wedding. In the vase or border a wonderful bloom. Quantity Pricing.
4 Y-Y
Blooms out of the leaves, aye. Smithy strength stems hold the 4 inch double blooms well aloft, aye my liege. A bit of orange-yellow in the whorl makes for a two-toned effect. Sherborne hails from the kingdom of Camelot and is a grand garden flower with an imposing presence.
4 Y-R
For the last half a century Tamar Fire has been a consistent work horse in the daffodil garden. An intermediate double, Tamar is exemplary in rich colors and works multiple jobs : in the border , in competition, and as a dependable pollen parent. While a bit variable, as doubles can be, it is easy to get fine, competition quality blooms.
4 W-P
Daffodils are cold loving flowers; we shiver a bit when someone gives a daffodil a tropical name. But this is an American bred, beefy golden pink double that can take on any latitude, Cancer or Capricorn. Strong stem and long lasting, you will want that. Fertile. Best for cuts. Quantity pricing.
4 Y-O
Last year we listed this s fabulous sun on sand colored double as "Sex on the Beach". It sold very well and drew a lot of Lookie Lous. But the Royal Horticultural Society was not so amused when the suggested name showed up on the registration form. Chastened, we have fallen back to the much less lascivious name Tropical Sensation. . "Sandy Cheeks" was also summarily dismissed. Still a solid double daff when you want some sun and fun.