These bulbs (Narcissus Mount Hood) produce classically shaped flowers of perfect proportion and the purest white when fully open. Quite simply, Mount Hood is the most popular white daffodil in the world today.
The flowers, which appear in mid-late spring, from March into April are trumpet-shaped. Ivory on opening they quickly turn to a dazzling white over time and will take your breath away when planted in drifts - they practically glow in the spring evenings. This is a variety that is stunning in its simplicity and which provides a beautiful contrast to some of the more colourful daffodils and narcissi. It is also excellent in pots and as flowers for cutting.
Mount Hood holds a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit. It's a hardy variety that is tolerant of most soils providing the ground has some drainage and is moist in the growing season. It will thrive in part-shade as well as full sun.
The strap-shaped leaves are green in early spring, darkening to an attractive blue-green later. Stems can reach 45cm once the plant is fully mature, each supporting a single trumpet-shaped flower whose cup initially blooms creamy-yellow and turns pure white soon after opening. The elegantly frilled trumpet is set at right angles to a broad flat white perianth, giving the whole flower lovely proportions and shape.
Mount Hood was first bred in Holland in 1937 and is still the most popular white daffodil around. In the United States it is sometimes called 'The Second Snow', as once the real stuff has disappeared, Mount Hood blooms and covers the ground again with a layer of pure white. It holds the American Daffodil Society's Wister Award.
Despite the introduction of hundreds of hybrids since Mount Hood first appeared, the variety held a place in the International Flower Bulb Centre's top ten list right up until the Bulb Centre shut its doors in 2011.