Plant Palette

Plant Palette

Daffodil, Narcissus, or Jonquil?

Photo of Jennifer Schultz Nelson

Jennifer Schultz Nelson
Extension Educator, Horticulture

My favorite spring flowering bulb is the daffodil. They multiply effortlessly, and squirrels and deer detest their taste. What more could a person ask for in a bulb? My investment in hundreds of daffodil bulbs last fall, and relentless digging in my yard will not have to be repeated this year, and the numbers of bright blooms will increase with each year. Of course, I probably will find some new varieties I "have" to have, but that's beside the point. Believe it or not I've already gotten some pre-season bulb preview catalogs, which have raised some questions for me.


Classifying daffodils is more difficult than one might think at first glance. As a genus, Narcissus is divided into thirteen divisions, all defined by foliage and flower color and form. Twelve of the divisions describe cultivated forms, the thirteenth describes wild species and hybrids.

Within the thirteen divisions of Narcissus, there are at least twenty-five species, with some debate on whether this number should be greater. The Royal Horticultural Society maintains a Daffodil Data Base that lists over 13,000 different named hybrids of Narcissus, all divided among the thirteen divisions.

There may be wide variety in the genus Narcissus, but one unwavering characteristic is that all parts of the bulb and plant are poisonous. This may sound horrible, but it's only horrible for the creatures that wander into our gardens looking for a meal. Most of the time vomiting is the worst of the symptoms after ingesting daffodil plants or bulbs. If large quantities are eaten, animals may show various cardiac symptoms, and may even die. You might think humans are much too intelligent to eat daffodils, but in fact people have mistaken them for onions or leeks. They probably never made that mistake again after experiencing the aftermath of vomiting and diarrhea! A less severe reaction typically occurs with repeated contact with stems, leaves and flowers. It is a contact dermatitis, a rash sometimes called "daffodil pickers' rash".

The genus Narcissus got its name from Greek mythology, where a handsome young man named Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water and drowned as he tried to embrace himself. Legend says daffodils grew up at the site where he perished, and so the genus was named after him. Sometimes the daffodil is called "the flower of death" because of this legend.

Daffodils grow best in well-drained sunny sites, as to most bulbs. They need little maintenance. Following blooming, the foliage should not be cut back until it begins to yellow. Many find it simpler to plant daffodils in their perennial beds, so that as the perennials grow in each spring, they camouflage the post-bloom daffodils, making cutting back unnecessary.

Daffodils will multiply and produce gorgeous clumps of blooms in the spring. They may be divided in the fall. I have seen some garden centers and mail order groups offering pre-chilled, sometimes pre-rooted daffodils, intended to be planted now to bloom this spring. This is typically a very expensive route to go. For more bloom for your buck, take advantage of the "pre-season" specials several mail order companies are offering and delay your planting until this fall. You can often find unique bulbs at bargain prices.

If you have purchased or been given daffodils potted and forced into early bloom, they can be planted in your garden for years of enjoyment. Treat them as you would plants in your garden, allowing the foliage to mature and yellow. Once the foliage has died back, remove the soil from the bulbs, and put them in a cool dry place until the fall. This fall, plant them as you normally would any other daffodil bulb.

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