Daffodils are among the most beloved spring flowers known for their bright blooms and easy cultivation. Beginner gardeners to experienced horticulturists alike have delighted in daffodils for centuries. As our spring advances, we take a closer look at the flower that has become an emblem of renewal and hope and a welcome sight that announces the start of the growing season.

The Origin of the Daffodil

Daffodils (Narcissis species) are native to regions of Europe and Northern Africa. The origin of the name Narcissis being used to describe the genus of plants we now know as the daffodils is conflicted. According to the Metamorphoses of Ovid, a compendium of ancient Greek and Roman mythological narratives, Narcissus is a young man who “pines away with love for himself, and is changed into a flower which bears his name.” It should be noted that specifics regarding the type of flower is omitted from this text. A few decades later, Pliny the Elder insisted that the Greek word “narkao” which means “to be numb” is the root of Narcissis, referencing the toxic properties of the plant.

Regardless of where the name is derived, daffodils gained popularity as an ornamental garden plant in the late1800, approximately 250 years after tulips gained fame and notoriety, and remain popular today.

Types of Daffodils

Thanks to breeding and cultivation programs, there is an abundance of daffodils available on the market today. According to the American Daffodil Society, there are over 32,000 registered cultivars. 

Daffodils are divided into thirteen descriptive divisions. These thirteen divisions are the same for miniature daffodils which include species and cultivars whose blooms are typically less than two inches in diameter.

• Division 1: Trumpet daffodil
• Division 2: Large-cupped daffodil
• Division 3: Small-cupped daffodil
• Division 4: Double daffodil
• Division 5: Triandrus daffodil
• Division 6: Cyclamineus daffodil
• Division 7: Jonquilla daffodil
• Division 8: Tazetta daffodil
• Division 9: Poeticus daffodil
• Division 10: Bulbocodium hybrids
• Division 11: Split-cupped daffodil
• Division 12: Other daffodil cultivars
• Division 13: Daffodils distinguished solely by botanical name

Within these categories, there are early, mid-, and late spring blooming cultivars. When planting daffodils, choose a variety of bloom times for an extended season of blossoms. In addition to various flower forms and bloom times, various colors are available. Yellow is the most iconic color for daffodils but blooms with white, orange, pink, and green hues are also available.

Growing Daffodils

The spring-blooming flowers must be planted in autumn before the ground freezes. Once planted, bulbs begin developing a strong root system that will help support the plant in the following spring. Daffodils prefer sandy-loam soils in full sun to part sun location. Plants that receive inadequate levels of sunlight will produce foliage but no flower, a condition referred to as “coming up blind”.

Plant bulbs in masses for an increased visual impact in the spring. Plant bulbs twice as deep as the bulb is high with the tip pointing up. Spacing bulbs four to six inches apart is recommended. Planting bulbs closer will result in an instant display the following spring but will quickly become overcrowded.

After blooms fade, leave the foliage on the plant. Green leaves will continue to photosynthesize, replenishing energy stores in the blub. This is essential for bulb and bloom longevity. Allow the leaves to die back naturally, remove them only after they have begun turning yellow. In a perennial bed, plant other blooming species to provide visual appeal following the daffodils and distract from the daffodil foliage.

A Bouquet of Daffodils

Daffodils make a beautiful bouquet that can brighten any mood and room. With proper care during harvesting, a bouquet of daffodils can look beautiful for up to a week.

Harvest flowers with the longest stem possible by reaching base of the flower stem, moving foliage out of the way so a snip can be used to make a clean cut. Place cut flowers into a plastic bucket of clean water as soon as possible after cutting. Avoid laying cut stems on the ground to minimize exposure to soil and soil borne pathogens that can clog the flowers vascular system.

Harvest daffodils when the flower head has become perpendicular to the stem and the petal colors begin to show. The sap of the flower may cause skin irritation for some, wearing gloves helps keep the sap away from sensitive skin. The sap is also harmful to other cut flowers, so they need to be conditioned before being used in mixed bouquets. Condition the flowers by isolating them in cool water for three to four hours, allowing time for the sap to drain from the stem. Repeat this process every time the stems are cut. Once conditioned, daffodils can be included in mixed arrangements without harm.

Good Growing Fact of the Week: Daffodils can be extremely long-lived. Hever Castle and Gardens in Kent, England claim some of the daffodils in their famous display gardens are over one hundred years old.