Narcissus, on the hunt for crowns!

There are people who, even today, remember the meadows of Triangolo Lariano white—not from snow, but from daffodils.

Between the 1950s and 1960s, their spontaneous blooming transformed the meadows and mountain pastures into white, fragrant expanses. People from the Milan area would come up here to see this spectacle, which many called “the May snowfall.”

For those who lived in the mountains, it was a special time: a sign that spring had arrived, a reason to celebrate, something that returned every year and seemed as though it would never end. Then, the landscape slowly began to change: as mountain farming was abandoned, many meadows were no longer tended, and the forest began to grow back. The daffodils, which love light and open spaces, began to dwindle, almost as if entering a long slumber.

Today there is a project aimed at restoring and protecting daffodils and their blooms: I Monti dei Narcisi, sponsored by Pro Caglio, which every year takes families and explorers to the meadows of Monte Falò and around Colma di Sormano to explain the importance of observing these flowers without picking them.

How to recognize it

The daffodil is a perennial bulbous plant that can grow up to 60 centimeters tall.

Its leaves grow in a cluster at the base; they are long and slender. The flower has six large white tepals, and at the center is a small pale yellow corolla with a bright red, serrated edge.

Daffodils bloom between April and June and grow mainly in meadows and mountain pastures. Although they are beautiful flowers, it’s important to remember one thing: daffodil bulbs are toxic.

Where to look for it during your explorations

The poet's daffodil grows in mountainous and subalpine regions throughout most of Italy, except for Sicily and Sardinia.

It loves open meadows, pastures, and sunny clearings.

Over the years, the abandonment of pastures and the excessive picking of flowers during the so-called " daffodil festivals " have made the daffodil a vulnerable species. For this reason, it is now protected in many parts of Italy and may not be picked.

Leaving it untouched is the best way to ensure that future explorers will still be able to encounter it.

A small world around the flower

The daffodil keeps its nectar deep inside, and special insects are needed to reach it. Some butterflies with long proboscis, such as the Boloria selene, are able to reach the bottom of the flower. Hoverflies—insects that look like bees or small wasps—also frequently visit the daffodil.

On your walks, try stopping near a daffodil and watching who comes to visit it. Who flies around the flower?

The meaning of the name

A legend between spring and winter

In ancient mythology, the narcissus is associated with the story of Persephone.

Persephone was a young girl who was picking flowers in the meadows when she was drawn by the scent of a beautiful daffodil. She wandered away from her friends to pick it, and just then the earth opened up. Hades, the god of the Underworld, emerged from beneath the ground and took her with him.

Her mother Demeter, goddess of nature, searched desperately for her everywhere. In her grief, she stopped tending to the earth: the meadows withered, the trees stopped growing, and the world grew cold.

In the end, Zeus reached an agreement: Persephone would spend part of the year on Earth with her mother and part in the Underworld. Thus, even today, her return marks the arrival of spring and the rebirth of nature. When she descends into the underworld, however, autumn and winter follow.

That is why the daffodil is considered a flower that symbolizes transformation, transition, and the return of light.

The Myth of Narcissus

And then there’s another story.

Narcissus was a strikingly handsome young man who rejected anyone who fell in love with him. To punish him for his arrogance, the gods caused him to fall in love with his own reflection in the water. He stood there gazing at himself for so long that he forgot everything else.

When she died, a flower bloomed in her place; ever since, the daffodil has borne her name.

What's it called in the local dialect?

Its name varies from one neighboring town to another, a sign of just how abundantly this flower used to bloom on our mountain slopes. 

In Alserio and Canzo, it is known as “sanpédar” or “sanpéder”; in Asso, Candalino, and Lasnigo, it is called “ginigeli”; and in Barni, “sanprìmm.” In Blevio, Brunate, Pognana Lario, and Torno, however, it is called “la madunèta,” and in Caglio, “ginigéri.”

In Caslino d’Erba, they are called rasctelétt or sctelétt, while in Ponte Lambro, Longone, and Proserpio, they are known as stelètt. In Civenna, they are known as genigéni; in Lezzeno, as arzìis; and in Magreglio, as piculìtt. 

Just as the “giünigéli” were known in Rezzago and Sormano, the “ginugéli” were from Valbrona. And what about everyone else? Narcìis.

What about you?
Do you remember what your grandparents or great-grandparents used to call it?

Ask your family members; collect their words, stories, and memories.

If you'd like, feel free to email us at: info@oltrelario.it 

When you find it…

When you come across a daffodil, stop for a moment without picking it. Approach it slowly and try to take it in with all your senses.

Look at the white of the tepals, the small red edge, and the way the flower curves slightly downward.

And then take a moment to smell it. What does it remind you of?
A bar of soap? Spring? A garden?

Draw it in your passport and note down where you found it.

Happy exploring, explorers. 

If you would like to share your discoveries, you can do so on Instagram using the hashtag #floraintasca. If, on the other hand, you prefer to keep these moments just for yourself, your family, and nature, we completely understand. In that case, if you wish, you can tell us about your experience by leaving a review here:
https://www.oltrelario.it/recensioni/

Spread the word about “Flora in Your Pocket!”

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