The offsets are genetically identical, unless there is a "sport", which is an unexplained genetic mutation.
Kristi

Do a search for "notch" on this forum to read about how you might induce more offsets.

Of course, if you get NBF and the poor bulb is trying to survive...it will put out more offsets as a survival defense!
K

yes, i get sports quite frequently with other stuff i have (esp hosta). i also love the chimeras (avs). Was reading about notching, or chipping as well. Interesting stuff.

i am doing a test of germination now. got 100 seeds of some common hip. put 50 in water and 50 in soil.

lather, rinse, repeat.

dave

Dave,

Absolutely the best way to replicate a bulb is through offsets. Many bulbs readily produce offsets, papilio, Giraffe and Blossom Peacock being just a few that will give you a pot full of exact duplicates in just a few years. I've never had a "sport" which to me would be very exciting! And, as Kristi says, bulbs that survive an attack by the Narcissus Bulb Fly most often will fill the pots with offsets. I can attest to that big time!!

Donna

My plants grown from seed would first invest into asexual - that is clonal - reproduction via offsets, whenever they had the space to do so. The adult bulbs are way shyer in that regard. I now have a Sydney bulb that was quite big but stayed like that for years, no real growth visible. But now, I think 1 1/2 years ago it produced an offset that already has the size of the motherbulb, both have 2 scapes each sticking out!