Alan Gibson
Classification:
1 Y-Y[ Trumpet Long-Cupped ]
Season:
Mid-Season
Height:
Standard - 32.5 to 67.5 cm (12.8 to 26.6 in)
Hybridizer:
, North Island, New Zealand
Registered:
Yes, before 1950
Registrant:

Ron Hyde

Ron Hyde
, New Zealand
Seed Parent: 
Kingscourt 1 Y-Y 
J. Lionel Richardson, Ireland
Year Registered: 1938
Royalist x Crocus
Kingscourt
Pollen Parent: 
Goldcourt 1 Y-Y 
J. Lionel Richardson, Ireland
Year Registered: 1937
Crocus x Cromarty
Goldcourt
Seedling Number:
8/48
Descendants:
None
Comments

Fl. rounded, soft yellow; perianth segments very broadly ovate, blunt, only very slightly mucronate, plane, very smooth, overlapping half; the inner segments more prominently mucronate, with margins a little incurling; corona mouth ribbed, expanded, loosely frilled.

According to John Hunter, New Zealand’s Daffodil Society Historian: “This daffodil had excellent form for the time of its introduction, unfortunately, it had a very short commercial life. It was first shown in Palmerston North at the National Daffodil Society of New Zealand’s North Island show on September 14/15th 1950. This show was judged by G.T. Maunder of Gisborne, the associate judge was John Black of Dunedin. The daffodil was entered in the seedling class for yellow trumpets by Ron Hyde who took over the running of Alan Gibson’s Nursery in 1949. It was shown under No. 8/48, it gained Champion Bloom and was awarded a Preliminary Certificate for exhibition at this show. The voting being unanimous. Its breeding was from a very prolific cross ‘Kingscourt’ x ‘Goldcourt’. It was then named after its raiser, Alan Gibson, registered in 1951 by Ron Hyde.”

In Gibson’s Nursery’s final catalog (1961/2), it is given a full page description as a special release for 1962/3. It states “All available bulbs of this variety are sold for this current season 1961/2”. Description reads: 1a – Alan Gibson, 3 – 4. “This flower is well known for its superb quality and natural smoothness, carriage and size. When first shown at the National Daffodil Society National Show, Palmerston North, it won Champion Seedling, Champion Yellow Trumpet, and Champion of Champions by a unanimous decision. The flower as shown on front cover (the same photo is in the National Daffodil Society of New Zealand’s 2010 Annual, page 34) has a very broad rounded perianth, the major segments of which are so broad they meet at the back. The inner segments are also superbly flat and make for a perfect background to the nice rounded trumpet of good size which is not too widely expanded at the mouth. The color is soft yellow throughout. Medium height with broad foliage and is a slow increaser. Price 20 pound each.”

Mr. Hunter goes on to state: “Note, the description mentions that the flower is a slow increaser. The late Clarrie Andrews in his catalog of 1976 had the variety ‘Alan Gibson’ cataloged. I well remember seeing the flower at that stage in his planting. Its health was in a terrible state, badly virused and very weak in growth. There is no doubt this variety became stricken with virus very early in its distribution and this lead to a fairly rapid decline in its popularity and it subsequent extinction.”

This daffodil is believed to be extinct.

Origin of Name

Named in honor of its hybridizer, Alan Gibson by Ron Hyde who took over Alan Gibson’s Nursery in 1949.