Gardening Life 365 ™

Since we started flower facts last season with one of the most popular winter flowers, we thought we would do the same for spring. That’s right, we’re talking about Daffodils this month! Daffodils are a garden staple and an easy-care plant for novice gardeners. Part of the amaryllis family, and even though native to northern Europe and North Africa, daffodils will grow in most areas of the United States. They are reliable, hardy perennials that bloom in early spring.

Daffodils are categorized into 13 descriptive divisions based on their flower shape. These categories include Trumpet, Large-Cup, Small-Cup, Double, Triandrus, Cyclamineus, Jonquilla, Tazetta, Poeticus, Bulbocodium, Split-Cupped, Miscellaneous, and Species, Wild Variants, and Wild Hybrids. There are many species of daffodils and thousands of hybrids within each division. But don’t worry if you can’t remember them all. 😁

Traditionally, daffodils are yellow with six petals, a trumpet-like center shape, and frilled edges. They have green foliage around the base consisting of five to six leaves. The wide variety of daffodils has created beautiful colors, including white, orange, and even pink and red flowers. Often the trumpet and petal are a combination of these colors.