Daffodils

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Lilliopsida

Order: Liliales

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Genus: Narcissus

Daffodils, the flowers symbolizing friendship, are some of the most popular flowers exclusively due to their unmatched beauty. Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus. Daffodil flowers have a trumpet-shaped structure set against a star-shaped background. All Daffodils have a corona in the center that looks like a trumpet and a ring of petals all around. The natural Daffodil is colored golden yellow all over while the trumpet may often appear in a contrasting color. In addition to the species, the Daffodil Data Bank lists over 13,000 hybrids. Generally, Daffodils are yellow, and range from yellow-and-white, yellow-and-orange, white-and-orange, pink, and lime-green.

Often the trumpet is in a contrasting color from the background. The name Daffodils includes the cluster-flowered yellow Jonquils and the White Narcissi , as well as the include as the more common trumpet shaped flowers (right), members of the genus Narcissus.

While the daffodil’s primary symbolism is that of new beginnings, rebirth and the coming of spring, it has many others. Some of the most common meanings for the daffodil flower are:

• Creativity
• Inspiration
• Renewal and Vitality
• Awareness and Inner Reflection
• Memory
• Forgiveness

Symbolism of the Daffodil Flower

The daffodil has similar uplifting meanings across cultures, probably because this bright flower appears as the cold, dark days of winter wane and the warm rays of spring appear.

• China: The daffodil symbolizes good fortune in the Chinese culture. In fact, it is so esteemed for its ability to bring forth positive things that it is the official symbol of the Chinese New year.
• Japan: To the Japanese people, the daffodil means mirth and joyousness.
• France: In France, the daffodil is a sign of hope.
• Wales: A Welsh legend claims that the person to find the first daffodil bloom will be blessed with more gold than silver in the upcoming year. It is the National Flower of Wales. It’s bloom coincides with St. David’s Day, a celebration for the patron saint of Wales. Some associate the daffodil’s faithful rebloom with the David’s faithfulness to his people.
• Arabian Countries: The Arabians believe the daffodil flower was an aphrodisiac and cure for baldness.
• Medieval Europe: The medieval Europeans believed that if your gaze caused a daffodil to droop it was an omen of impending death.
• United States: In the United States, the daffodil is the official symbol for the American Cancer Association, symbolizing hope for a cure. It is also the flower for the month of March and the symbol of the 10th wedding anniversary.

The Latin name for daffodil is Narcissus. It is believed to be named after the son of the river god from Greek mythology. Narcissus was celebrated for his beauty, but he was arrogant. The goddess Nemesis noticed this and lured him to a pool where he fell in love with his own reflection.

Some sources say while he was staring at his reflection nymphs transformed him into a narcissus flower to get revenge for how he treated them. Others think he drowned trying to capture his reflection, and the flowers growing along the riverbed were named after him. Some even liken the nodding heads of daffodil flowers to Narcissus bending down and gazing at his reflection.

The earliest known reference to Daffodils can be found in the 6th century A.D. writings of the Prophet Mohammed.

In England, daffodils are also known as lent lilies or lenten lilies as they typically bloom between Ash Wednesday and Easter. A.E. Housman, an English scholar and poet, even wrote a poem entitled “The Lent Lily” about this phenomenon.

And there’s the windflower chilly

With all the winds at play,

And there’s the Lenten lily

That has not long to stay

And dies on Easter day.

William Wordsworth, an English romantic poet, also references daffodils in his poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, painting a picture of a hill full of bright, dancing blooms.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Where climate is moderate, Daffodils flourish among the first spring buds. Daffodils produce trumpet shaped flowers on a slender stalk raised above the foliage. These striking flowers range from miniature 2-inch plants with ½-inch blooms to 2-foot plants with 5-inch blooms. They include the paperwhite narcissus, a popular holiday plant. Daffodils often bloom in clusters. Daffodils are native mainly to the Mediterranean region, in particular to the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Northern Africa and the Middle East. Grown extensively by the ancient Greeks and the Romans, Daffodils nevertheless became a forgotten flower until about 1600 and even in 1860, there were fewer than 350 cultivated hybrids. Around 1629, a group of Englishmen took the Daffodil out of the weeds and put it into the garden. Daffodils were in favor again.

Miniature Daffodils

Daffodils come in all sizes, from 5-inch blooms on 2-foot stems to half-inch flowers on 2-inch stems. Largely for show purposes or for guidance in gardening, certain species and named cultivars have been determined by the American Daffodil Society to be miniatures and must compete by themselves in Daffodil shows.

Difference between Daffodils and Narcissus

There is literally no difference between the Daffodils and Narcissus. The two words are synonymous. Narcissus is the Latin or botanical name for those commonly called daffodils and Daffodil is the common name for all members of the genus Narcissus.

Meaningful Botanical Characteristics of the Daffodil Flower

The bulb of the daffodil is poisonous, limiting its use for natural or herbal remedies.

• Narcissus Plaster: A plaster made from the bulbs of the narcissus plant is used to relieve the pain associated with arthritis, wounds, burns and strains.

• Traditional Medicine: Research on the use of the narcissus plant for treating Alzheimer’s disease is currently underway.
• Herbal Remedies: Daffodil is thought to treat asthma, colds and whooping cough and to induce vomiting, but caution is advised, as daffodil can be a dangerous remedy.
• Fragrance: Essential oils made from the narcissus plant are sometimes used to promote relaxation and reduce stress, but caution must be exercised as too much oil can cause headaches and vomiting. Daffodil oil can be used in crafts or making potpourri. It is also used in perfumes and cosmetics.

Growing Daffodils

Daffodils grow perennially from bulbs. In temperate climates they flower among the earliest blooms in spring. Daffodils often grow in large clusters, covering lawns and even entire hillsides with yellow.

Depth, as a general rule, needs to be thrice the height. This means large bulbs should have a depth of 6 to 8 inches, a medium size 3-6 inches and a smaller size 2-3 inches. Always remember that the load of soil proves helpful in protecting the bulbs from breaking too easily and in keeping them upright for a longer duration.

If this fact is ignored and enough depth is not given, the Daffodil will bend down very soon. Though Daffodil blooms will come in bigger clumps, the bulbs and flowers will be scant.

Steps to growing Daffodils.

• Choose a well-drained, sunny place, with a slightly acidic soil.
• Plant your Daffodils so that their top (pointed end) is at least two times as deep as the bulb is high (top of a 2" bulb is 4" deep).
• Plant bulbs deeper in sandy soil than in clay.
• High-nitrogen fertilizers should be avoided.
• Daffodils need lots of water while they are growing.
• After blooming, never cut the foliage until it begins to turn yellow (usually late May or June).
• This is then the time to dig them. Wash the bulbs thoroughly and let them dry completely (at least a week).
• Put them in onion sacks (or panty hose) and hang them in the coolest place you can find until they're ready to plant. Good air circulation will keep the storage rot at a minimum.

Daffodil Plant Care

• Like most perennials, Daffodils will do well with about 1 inch of water per week while they are actively growing and blooming - from March to May.
• Mulch can be tremendously helpful for Daffodils to conserve moisture.
• The best thing you can do for your Daffodil bulbs is to provide them rich, well-drained soil with lots of organic matter in it.
• Most organic bulb fertilizers can be placed right into the planting hole because they're very gentle and non-burning.
• Since a Daffodil is a perennial, every 5 to 10 years, divide the clumps of bulbs in early summer.