We can look to Greek mythology to tell us how narcissus, the genus also known as daffodils, came to be.

The mountain nymph Echo fell in love with Narcissus, a beautiful and vain young man who liked only himself. She kept trying to get his attention, but all Narcissus wanted to do was stare at his reflection in a pool of water. Echo faded away, and the gods, angry with Narcissus, changed him into a flower. He was fated to sit by a pool, nodding at his own reflection, for all time.

Less romantic sources, such as the epic but not mythic “The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants,” relate that wild daffodils are found in Europe and Northern Africa, that there are about 50 species of the bulbous perennials in the genus and that thousands of cultivars, plants raised or selected in cultivation for their attributes, have been developed.

With a mix of myth and science in mind, I set out recently to try to figure out the earliest blooming daffodil for our area. In the interest of disclosure, I have a garden’s worth of ‘King Alfred’ (pictured, and in bloom now), which is a distinctive, yellow trumpet daffodil with one flower to each stem. Here and there are miniature cultivars, also in bloom. There is the multi-headed ‘Tete-a-Tete,’ ‘Jefire’ and ‘Jack Snipe.’ These are all known as Cyclamineus daffodils, good naturalizers and good in pots. The miniatures came into flower about three weeks ago, while the ‘King Alfreds’ followed a week later.

This much color this early is all fine and good, but what about an early February, or dare I say, January bloomer?

On the weekend of Jan. 31-Feb. 1, I found myself driving down the Oregon coast to Neskowin, just above Lincoln City. There’s a farm stand in Cloverdale that has always caught my attention for its dahlia tubers and daffodils. Sure enough, that Saturday featured a table full of daffodils cut in bloom. On Feb. 1!

This was worth a chat with the farmer. Mr. McMellon advised me that when it comes to growing the earliest daffodils on the coast, one should plant … (drum roll, please!) ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation.’

You might also know ‘Rijnveld’s’ by its short name and telling name, ‘January.’ ‘Rijnveld’s’ is a trumpet daffodil, producing yellow flowers that are almost four inches across. It can bloom as early as in late winter, and in the case of Mr. McMellon’s flowers, do just fine with the cold snap we endured this year.

The good farmer recommends, upon purchasing or cutting a bunch of daffodils, that you take them inside, and cut them again before putting them in a vase. Change the water daily for a longer-lasting bouquet.

As for daffodil care after bloom, remove the blossoms (and the developing seed pods) so that the plant’s nutrients go to the bulb. Leave the green foliage as long as possible – six to eight weeks – so that the greens can take in energy and make food for the bulbs and next year’s blooms. If the sight of the drying foliage bothers you, plant your daffodils in a patch of summer blooming perennials. The new growth on the perennials will be a screen for the daffodil foliage. Fast-growing annuals do the same trick.

Jan McNeilan, of the Oregon State University Master Gardener program, recommends that you keep the soil moist and feed the bulbs with a tablespoon or so of a 20-20-20 or 16-16-16 fertilizer, or a well-balanced organic fertilizer for a slower rate of nutrients. You can sprinkle the fertilizer around the base of the plants.

If you want to move your daffodil bulbs, spring is a good time to do so, after they have bloomed. Dig them up carefully, keeping the foliage attached to the bulb. Plant the bulb and foliage at the proper depth – approximately twice as deep as they are tall – and fertilize as described above.

Cathy Peterson belongs to the Clatsop County Master Gardener Association. “In the Garden” runs weekly in Coast Weekend. Send comments and gardening news to “In the Garden,” The Daily Astorian, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97013 or online at peterson@pacifier.com