Daffodil
Narcissus pseudonarcissus (and Narcissus cvs.)
📖 About this plant
The quintessential spring bulb, beloved worldwide for its cheerful trumpet-shaped flowers in golden yellow, white, cream, and bicolor combinations. Daffodils are incredibly reliable, deer-resistant, and long-lived — many varieties naturalize and multiply for decades. The distinctive central corona (trumpet) surrounded by the petal-like perianth creates the classic daffodil silhouette. An essential spring garden plant that signals the end of winter.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun to partial shade (4-6 hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
5-20°C
Well-draining, moderately fertile, loamy soil; slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0); tolerates clay if well-drained
Low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus bulb fertilizer at planting in autumn; top dress with compost after flowering; allow foliage to die back naturally to feed bulbs
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Southern and Western Europe — Spain, Portugal, France, England; cultivated for over 2,000 years; over 25,000 registered cultivars
- 📏 Max height
- 15-45 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 10-15 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Yellow, White, Orange
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- TOXIC — all parts contain lycorine and other alkaloids, especially concentrated in the bulbs; ingestion causes severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in severe cases, cardiac arrhythmias; highly toxic to dogs, cats, and livestock; sap can cause dermatitis (daffodil itch)
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division of offsets (daughter bulbs) every 3-5 years when clumps become overcrowded; seed sowing (flowers in 5-7 years from seed)
🛡️ Health & Safety
TOXIC — all parts contain lycorine and other alkaloids, especially concentrated in the bulbs; ingestion causes severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in severe cases, cardiac arrhythmias; highly toxic to dogs, cats, and livestock; sap can cause dermatitis (daffodil itch)
Common issues
- Basal rot of bulbs, Narcissus bulb fly larvae, Yellowing from virus infection
💡 Care tips
- Plant bulbs in fall at 2-3 times their depth,Deer and rodent resistant as all parts are toxic to animals,Leave foliage to die back naturally after flowering to feed the bulb,Daffodils naturalize and multiply over the years for a bigger display
