Autumn Daffodil Plant Profile

 

Autumn Daffodil Plant Profile

Autumn Daffodil (Sternbergia lutea) is also known as fall daffodil, winter daffodil, or yellow autumn crocus. Despite the bright-yellow color, it really does look more like a tall crocus, than a daffodil.

The Autumn Daffodil is an heirloom pass-along bulb that is experiencing a resurgence of popularity.

It is hardy to USDA zones 6 to 9. Autumn Daffodil is native to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. It's also found in southern Europe.

It is related to Amaryllis and is deer-resistant and vole-proof.

When ordered from a bulb catalog, the bulbs will arrive in late summer or early autumn and should be planted right away.

After planting the bulbs, they may take a year or two to acclimate, but after that they should reliably bloom each fall and increase a bit every year.

It prefers well-drained soil and a mostly sunny location. It does best planted in a spot with a southern exposure and a bit of extra straw mulch in colder climates.

The foliage stays up all winter leaves and grows to about 10-inches tall.          

The bulbs can be lifted and divided before the leaves die down in late spring.

Autumn Daffodil: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Video and Editing by Ellen Isaacson

 

➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!)

➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out

➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE

~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com

~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/

~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Colchicum Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/10/colchicum-plant-profile.html

~ Daffodil Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/03/plant-profile-daffodils.html

~ Snowdrop Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/02/plant-profile-snowdrops-galanthus-sp.html

 

 PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Monday Thoughts: “Find me in my field of grass, Mother Nature's son Swaying daisies, sing a lazy song, Beneath the sun." ~ The Beatles

“Find me in my field of grass, Mother Nature's son Swaying daisies,  sing a lazy song, Beneath the sun." 

~ The Beatles

GardenDC Podcast Episode 259: From Garden to Farm with the Gardening Gays

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with the Gardening Gays -- Kevin and Dragan, all about their transition from small garden to country farm. The plant profile is on Hairy Aster and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on the Ghost Orchid by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 224: The Reformation of a Bad Naturalist

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-224.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 253: The Farm-to-Vase Movement

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-253-farm-to.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 7: Chickens in the Garden

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-7-chickens-in.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter/subscriber at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xSP8Zg1ydgLDyn1vG0yKK?si=4XaMb4tnTR-XPQCHrqgQJA

Show Notes will be posted after 10/15/25.

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8?si=3ebaddb186214fc6
• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
  
• Bullhorn https://www.bullhorn.fm/gardendc
• Chartable: https://link.chtbl.com/GardenDC
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/5587897
• GoodPods: https://goodpods.app.link/u3gtlpybILb
• Headliner: https://play.headliner.app/podcast/37086
• Himalaya: https://www.himalaya.com/courses/gardendc-1747568
• Ivy: https://ivy.fm/podcast/gardendc-940013
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• Podfollow: https://podfollow.com/GardenDC
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
  
• Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• Vurbl: https://vurbl.com/station/gardendc/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Interview Edit and Show Notes: Cavit Ireland

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

Pin this for later!

Fenton Friday: Forgotten Onion Harvest

Pictured above is our "forgotten" Onion harvest. Because I'm not personally a big onion fan, I had pretty much ignored them all winter. This week, I cleared the bed they were in and found these 3. (Do they remind anyone else of the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus or is that just me?) There were likely more, so after we get some good rain this weekend I may go back to check for some more. Back in May, we had planted a dozen 'Stuttgart' Yellow Onions. It was a bit late in the season to be doing so, but the onion sets were given to our community garden by HarvestShare to grow for suporting their food for the hungry programs. I have them curing now on an old screen in my sunroom and will donate them at our next harvest gathering session in a couple weeks.

I'm cutting Dahlias now almost daily. They are so happy now in October's cooler temps. There was a frost alert in the region last night, though I think we are still a few weeks away from it hitting us. 

We will soon pull out the last of the Tomatoes and Peppers, but for now they are still producing steadily -- as are the Cowpeas. The Zucchini are flowering, though no fruits are forming, so they will go next.

The Cover Crop seeds are up and so are the seeds for our recently planted Radishes and Lettuce mix. The Cilantro and Cauliflower seedlings are both doing well.

What are you growing in your edible garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 14th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).

Win a copy of The Square Foot Gardening Planner in the October 2025 Washington Gardener Reader Contest

For our October 2025 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away three copies of The Square Foot Gardening Planner from Cool Springs Press (value $23 each, Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4mKRC4W). 

   The Square Foot Gardening Planner: A 3-year Journal for Recording the Planning, Planting, and Care of Your Square Foot Garden is the one-and-only official planner of the Square Foot Gardening Foundation, filled with all the planning tools and data-tracking logs that generations of Square Foot Gardeners have been asking for. The intensive planting, prescribed spacing, and succession cropping used in the square foot gardening method mean a greater need to plan in advance and keep track of changes. This planner gives you all the tools you need to do just that. 

   To enter to win The Square Foot Gardening Planner, send an email by 5:00pm on Friday, October 31, to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Square Foot Gardening Planner” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the October 2025 Washington Gardener issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about November 1. Content entry replies might be published. 

Gentian Plant Profile

Gentian Plant Profile

Closed Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) is native throughout the northeastern half of the United States.

It is a perennial wildflower with blue/purple blooms that are nearly closed at the tip. They are arranged in a tight clusters atop the stem and at full bloom when look like they are buds about to open fully—though they never do. There are also some naturally occurring white versions of the flower.

Closed Bottle Gentian is hardy to zones 3-7. These plants are slow-growing, but long-lived and are very low-maintenance. They bloom from late summer into mid-fall and are not bothered by an early frost.

It grows best in moist, rich soils either in full or partial sun.

Bottle Gentian is pollinated by bumblebees that pry open the flower to crawl inside and sip nectar plus deposit pollen.

Gentian: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Ellen Isaacson

 

➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!)

➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out

➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE

~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com

~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/

~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Trout Lily Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/04/trout-lily-plant-profile.html

~ Virginia Bluebells Plant Profile

 https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/04/plant-profile-virginia-bluebells.html

~ Baptisia Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/baptisia-plant-profile.html

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Monday Thoughts: “In the garden you see all the seasons come and go, whatever you do can affect it all. But at the same time flowers don’t answer you back, don’t give you any trouble." ~ George Harrison

“In the garden you see all the seasons come and go, whatever you do can affect it all. But at the same time flowers don’t answer you back, don’t give you any trouble." ~ George Harrison

GardenDC Podcast Episode 258: Hot Trends in Bulbs

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with author Jenny Rose Carey, all about the latest trends in gardening with bulbs. The plant profile is on Spiderwort and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on the Art and Science of Pickling by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 127: Unusual and Specialty Flower Bulbs with Brent Heath

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-127-unusual.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 111: Flower Combinations with Jenny Rose Carey

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-111-flower.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 18: Shade Gardening with Jenny Rose Carey

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-18-shade.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter/subscriber at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1c8VXmwhLJuBuJ800LARDL?si=ed6867ddbe8b4750

Show Notes: 01:27 Introducing Jenny Rose Carey 03:53 Kathy puts her on the spot and ask Jenny Rose her favorite bulbs 05:20 Defining what makes a bulb 09:03 Wondering when to plant those spring flowering bulbs? 10:45 Plenty of bulb planting tips from an expert 13:59 Adding helpers that extend the bulb bloom 17:29 “That smell of earth after rain…” 18:57 Protect those summer blooms! 19:53 What flowering bulb smells like a skunk? 22:30 Timing your planting properly 24:37 Bulb party ideas for your next fall gathering 26:11 Be patient with bulbs, it will pay off 27:52 Jenny Rose’s top advice for planting bulbs in containers 32:10 The Key to bulb success: “Drainage, drainage, drainage.” 33:23 Pre-chilling: How can you make it most effective? 35:38 Native Bulbs: The next hot trend 39:03 Do you ever wonder how plants sprout up in the sidewalk? 39:40 Top picks for bulbs that support pollinators 43:45 Discover the best places to plant your bulbs and where to squeeze more in 45:50 Why plant bulbs? To make your garden look lovely! 46:37 Previewing Jenny Rose Carey’s upcoming book 48:27 Jenny Rose’s gardening influences 49:17 Find more information about newsletters and events at jennyrosecarey.com 50:18 Simple garden design tips 53:10 Spiderwort Plant Profile 54:48 What’s new in the garden this week? 57:28 Upcoming local gardening events 58:58 The Last Word by Christy Page: The Art of Pickling 01:02:45 Support the Garden DC Podcast!

Jenny Rose Carey's books:

- The Essential Guide to Bulbs*

- The Ultimate Flower Gardener's Guide*

- Glorious Shade*

*Amazon affiliate link

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8?si=3ebaddb186214fc6
• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
  
• Bullhorn https://www.bullhorn.fm/gardendc
• Chartable: https://link.chtbl.com/GardenDC
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/5587897
• GoodPods: https://goodpods.app.link/u3gtlpybILb
• Headliner: https://play.headliner.app/podcast/37086
• Himalaya: https://www.himalaya.com/courses/gardendc-1747568
• Ivy: https://ivy.fm/podcast/gardendc-940013
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• Podfollow: https://podfollow.com/GardenDC
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
  
• Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• Vurbl: https://vurbl.com/station/gardendc/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Interview Edit and Show Notes: Cavit Ireland

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

Pin this for later!

Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/476OTOu