One of the customs for Chinese New Year is to have a pot of blooming äóìsui sin fahäó (translated in English, water fairy) or as we know it, narcissus in the home. If the plant flowers on Chinese New Year, it is an omen that the rest of the year will bring good fortune. Narcissus bulbs when placed in water or soil typically grow with erect leaves and spikes of flowers, but there are other imaginative growth forms. Bulb carving is an ancient art form originating from the Fujian province in China. After years of training and with surgical-like skills, the advanced student can dissect and scab a narcissus bulb until it resembles multiple cloves of garlic forcing the foliage to curl as they grow and flower, giving the plant its convoluted and twisted character. Some are even shaped to look like snails and roosters. Known as the crab-claw method of carving, it is commonly practiced on Narcissus tazzeta var. orientalis (Chinese Sacred Lily).
To view more amazing carved narcissus, visit www.fdflower-nl.com/products/chinese-narcissus and enjoy. Gong Hay Fat Choy! (Happy New Year)
About the Author: Garden Answers
Any advice on where I can find these bulbs for personal use? Thanks’
Hi I wanted ask is there a reason for carving daffodil bulbs other than to create those interesting and probably auspicious shapes? Can I buy them and plant them as they are untouched in a pot, will they have as many flowering stems as the carved ones? This time of year the flower market is full of them, they arrive from China in cardboard boxes piled high. Each large bulb has a piece of heavy clay attached to the bottom held there by the old dry roots. The clay they pull off then they wash and carve the bulbs up in front of the customer who selects the bulbs for carving. I want to just plant them in a pot with soil as is. Would that work would they still flower happily? Are they forced bulbs? Thanks for the info.