Narcissus is the Fragonard flower of the year 2023. Hypnotic in its beauty and intoxicating in its scent, narcissus symbolizes renewal and rebirth. Discover more about the perfumer's white gold.
The narcissus symbolizes rebirth and renewal. It heralds the spring and puts an end to the winter frost. Its crystal white flowers cover the damp meadows with a scattering of snow-covered flowers. There are many varieties of narcissus. The most well-known are the white narcissus (Narcissus poeticus) and the yellow narcissus (Narcissus jonquilla). The Poet's narcissus variety is most commonly used in perfumery, because of its sweet, intoxicating scent, reminiscent of jasmine. Narcissus is also called white gold.
Narcissus grows wild at least 1000 meters above sea level, preferably in fertile, well-drained and slightly acidic or neutral soil. The flowers bloom from March to June, but the beginning and end of the harvest can never be predicted exactly. After all, it is nature that decides.
The Harvest of the Narcissus
The daffodils grow on the Aubrac plateau, a volcanic and granite plateau located in the Massif Central. Picking them is an old spring tradition. In the fifties, the flowers were picked by hand by the local population, but now they use different tools, which has made picking easier. In addition, the yield has increased considerably compared to the past, when no tools were used.
The flowers are processed as much as possible within 24 hours of harvesting so that they retain their freshness and fragrance. Bags filled with flowers are emptied on the ground and the flowers are aired with wooden forks. The flowers are then placed in an extractor containing a volatile solvent. The liquid extract is heated to 60°C to evaporate the solvents and obtain a waxy substance known as “concrete”. It takes 1000kg of flowers to obtain 2kg of “concrete”.
The perfume of Fragonard Narcisse
In the wild, narcissus exudes an extraordinary scent that combines grass, earth and the power of white flowers. Fragonard perfumers have embellished its sensual, floral scent with fresh, spring-like notes. Narcissus blooms in spring, amidst lush green grass that has just awakened after many weeks under the snow. The sun warms nature with its gentle rays and in turn, the perfumers have sprinkled Narcisse with sweet, warm base notes of honey and wood. Narcisse by Fragonard is born: a very romantic fragrance bursting with idyllic beauty and light as air.
Top notes: manadine, Italian bergamot, Paraguayan petitgrain
Heart notes: narcissus, Egyptian jasmine, Turkish rose
The narcissus (narcissus) is a genus of bulbous plants from the narcissus family. The name comes from Greek mythology. Narcissus was a handsome young man who one day came to a pond with crystal clear water. When he bent over he saw his reflection in the water surface, but he thought it was a beautiful spirit that lived in the pond. He remained there, gazing in admiration at his own appearance. That is how he fell in love with himself. Narcissus therefore stands for egoism, self-glorification, self-love, selfishness and vanity. But narcissus also symbolizes a new beginning, because the narcissus flower announces a new season, spring.
Daffodils are real spring toppers. They are spring bulbs and need a cold rest period. You can simply let the flowers grow wild. They multiply by themselves and more flowers appear every year. There are many varieties, with different colours. The narcissus poeticus, which is used for its fragrant perfume, has pure white petals with sometimes an orange edge.
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
