How to Grow Peruvian Daffodils

Peruvian daffodils (Hymenocallis festalis) are members of the amaryllis family with sweet-smelling white flowers that grow atop tall, bare stalks. These daffodils are summer bloomers and thrive in lots of sunshine. Native to South America, Peruvian daffodils require night temperatures of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and are best suited to growing in zones 8a through 10b on U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Plant the Peruvian daffodil bulbs in the spring, when the weather warms.

Sand or compost
5-10-10 fertilizer
Pruning shears
Peat moss
Box

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a location in the garden that receives full sun and well-drained soil. If the soil requires amending, add 3 inches of coarse sand or compost and mix it into the top 10 inches.
- 2
  Plant the small Peruvian daffodil bulbs 3 inches deep and the larger bulbs 5 inches deep. Plant all of them 1 foot apart.
- 3
  Water the daffodil bed to a depth of 6 inches and don't allow it to dry out during the growing season.
- 4
  Feed the Peruvian daffodils when the stem reaches 8 inches in height. Sprinkle 1 lb. of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet on the soil and water to a depth of 6 inches. Apply the same amount of fertilizer again after the plants finish flowering.
- 5
  Remove the stem by cutting it into the foliage, but allow the foliage to remain until fall.
- 6
  Cut the foliage to 3 inches high and dig up the bulbs before the first frost. Set the bulbs out to dry for two to three days. Allow the soil to remain around the roots. Cut off the remaining foliage and place the bulbs, upside down, on a bed of dry peat moss in a box. Set the box in an area that remains between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Weed Daffodils

How to Cut Back and Divide Daffodils

Bulbs