Bulb · Amaryllidaceae
Daffodil
Narcissus pseudonarcissus
Plant the bulbs in fall and they reward you with the first real color of spring, year after year.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 4–8
12–18 in · 30–46 cm
Overview
Daffodils are the bulb most gardeners start with, and for good reason. You plant them once in autumn, and they push up trumpet flowers in early spring while the rest of the garden is still waking up. They belong to the genus Narcissus and come back on their own each year, spreading into wider clumps as they go.
What sets them apart is how little they ask. They handle cold down to -29°F (-34°C), settle into almost any well-drained soil, and shrug off the deer and rodents that strip other bulbs, since every part of the plant is poisonous. Give them sun and good drainage and they need almost nothing else.
The flowers run far beyond the plain yellow trumpet. Some carry several blooms to a stem, some pair white petals with a colored cup, and some open ruffled and double. Whichever you plant, the rule is the same: let the leaves yellow and die back on their own, because that slow fade is how the bulb feeds next year's flowers.
Care
The short version: full sun to part shade, well-drained soil that never stays soggy, a light low-nitrogen feed in fall and again in spring, and patience to let the foliage die back before you tidy up.
Light
Daffodils flower best in full sun, though they take partial shade in stride, which makes them a natural fit under trees that leaf out after the bulbs have bloomed. More sun means stronger stems and fuller flowers.
Water
Keep the soil moist but never soggy while the plants are growing, and give a little extra during a hot or dry spring to stretch the bloom. Once the foliage dies back the bulb goes dormant and wants almost nothing, since wet summer soil is the fastest way to rot it.
Soil
Plant in well-drained loam, clay, or rich soil, with drainage being the one thing you can't skip. A pH of 6.0 to 7.0 suits them, but standing water at the bulb is what kills daffodils more than anything else.
Temperature
These are tough, cold-hardy bulbs that handle anything from -29°F to 86°F (-34°C to 30°C). They actually need a cold winter spell to set their flowers, so the chill is a feature, not a risk.
Humidity
Air moisture isn't something you need to manage with daffodils, so there's no target to hit. What matters is air moving freely around the leaves, since crowded, damp foliage invites the fungal diseases they're prone to.
Feeding
Use a low-nitrogen complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 with a little bone meal, worked in during fall and again as the shoots emerge in spring. Stop feeding once flowering starts, because extra nitrogen at that point only encourages bulb rot.
Pruning
Deadhead the spent flowers, but leave the foliage standing for at least six weeks after bloom until it yellows and browns on its own. Don't cut or tie the green leaves early, since that slow die-back is exactly how the bulb refuels for next year.
Repotting
Daffodils are happiest left alone and only need lifting every 5 years or when a clump gets too crowded to flower well. Crowded bulbs, smaller blooms, and lots of leaves with few flowers are the signs it's time to divide.
Size & spacing
Plants reach 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm) tall and spread 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm) wide. Set the bulbs 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) deep, about two to three times their height, and 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) apart.
When to plant
Daffodils run on a fall-to-spring clock. Get the bulbs in the ground in mid-autumn, about six weeks before the first frost once the soil cools below 60°F (16°C), and they spend winter rooting underground before opening in early spring.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Mid-autumn, about 6 weeks before first frost, once soil temperature stays below 60 degrees F
- Harvest: Early spring
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 4–8
Temperature: down to -34°C
Troubleshooting
A healthy daffodil rarely gives trouble, but the few problems it does get usually start underground in the bulb. Most show up as rot, scorched leaves, or a clump that suddenly stops flowering. Match what you see below and act before it spreads to neighboring bulbs.
Stunted growth and soft, rotting bulbs
This is basal rot, a Fusarium fungus that attacks the bottom of the bulb and is made worse by soggy ground and too much nitrogen. Lift a suspect bulb and you'll find a soft brown base with white or pink mold creeping between the scales. Throw out anything infected, plant only firm healthy bulbs in a fresh, well-drained spot, and ease off the feeding.
Fix:
- Discard infected bulbs
- Plant only firm, healthy or hot-water-treated bulbs
- Improve drainage and replant in a new site
Twisted leaves, soft bulbs, and few flowers
Two pests share these symptoms, and both hollow the bulb from within. Stem and bulb nematodes leave brown rings when you slice a bulb crosswise, while narcissus bulb fly larvae leave a hollowed center with a fat grub inside. Either way the bulb feels light and soft, so dig and destroy anything infested and replant only certified clean stock.
Fix:
- Dig and destroy infested bulbs
- Plant only treated, healthy bulbs
Tan spots on the flowers that spread in wet weather
Fire disease earns its name from the way it scorches blooms, starting as tan flecks that spread until the flowers brown and the leaves streak yellow. It runs fast in damp, crowded plantings. Pull and destroy anything infected, give plants room for air to move, and clear away spent blooms before the spores spread.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy infected plants and flowers
- Apply a protective fungicide
Scorched, spotted tips on the new leaves
Leaf scorch shows up as reddish-brown spots ringed with yellow on the tips of emerging leaves, as if they'd been singed. Cut off the marked foliage, plant hot-water-treated bulbs next time, and keep water off the leaves so the fungus has nowhere to settle.
Fix:
- Remove affected foliage
- Plant hot-water-treated bulbs
- Apply a labeled fungicide
Toxicity
Every part of the daffodil is poisonous, and the bulb is the worst of it. It holds lycorine and other alkaloids along with sharp calcium oxalate crystals, and it looks enough like an onion that people have been poisoned by mistake. Keep bulbs and plants away from pets, livestock, and children, and wear gloves when you handle them.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Severe
A cat that bites into a daffodil usually drools and vomits within the hour, often with diarrhea following. The bulb is the dangerous part, and a big mouthful can drop blood pressure and set off tremors or an irregular heartbeat.
Dogs Severe
Dogs that dig up and chew a bulb get the worst of it, with heavy drooling, vomiting, and a sore stomach. Larger amounts push past the gut into convulsions, low blood pressure, and a racing or skipping heart, so call the vet without waiting.
Horses Severe
Grazing horses rarely touch daffodils, but the alkaloids hit hard if they do, bringing on salivation, vomiting attempts, and colic. A large dose can trigger tremors and dangerous heart-rhythm changes.
Rabbits Severe
Every part of the plant carries the same lycorine that sickens other animals, so a nibbling rabbit can suffer drooling, gut upset, and tremors. Keep daffodils well out of reach and never offer trimmings as forage.
Livestock Severe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can be poisoned by the foliage or by bulbs turned up in a pasture. Watch for drooling, diarrhea, staggering, and in heavy cases an unsteady heartbeat.
Birds Severe
The alkaloids are toxic to birds as well, and even a small bulb fragment is far too much for a small body. Keep daffodils and their bulbs away from any pet bird or backyard flock.
People Caution
No part of the daffodil is food, and the bulb is the real hazard because it looks so much like an onion. Swallowing any part brings on vomiting and drooling, and handling cut stems can leave the skin itchy and irritated.
Bulbs can be mistaken for onions but are poisonous; keep bulbs away from pets and children. Wear gloves when handling, since the sap can cause skin irritation known as daffodil itch.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Daffodils come in thousands of named forms, sorted into divisions by flower shape. A few classics turn up again and again, and they show off the range well.
King Alfred
The classic large daffodil, all golden yellow with a bold trumpet that most people picture when they hear the name.
Thalia
A triandrus type that carries several nodding, pure white flowers on each stem for a softer, woodland look.
Actaea
A poeticus daffodil with crisp white petals around a small, red-rimmed yellow cup.
Tahiti
A double-flowered variety packed with ruffled yellow and orange segments instead of a single trumpet.
How to propagate
Daffodils multiply on their own, so most of the work is just dividing what you already have. You can also grow them from seed, but only if you have years to spare.
Offsets & pupsEasy
After foliage yellows and dies back, in late spring or early summer · 1-2 years to reach flowering size
The easiest way to make more daffodils is to let them do it for you. Once the foliage has yellowed and died back in late spring or early summer, lift a crowded clump and gently pull apart the small offset bulbs that have formed around each mother. Replant them at proper depth straight away, or store them cool and dry until fall, and most reach flowering size in 1 to 2 years.
DivisionEasy
Every 5 years when clumps become crowded, after foliage dies back · 1-2 years
When blooms thin out and clumps look congested, usually about every 5 years, dig and divide them after the foliage has died back. Splitting the crowded bulbs relieves the crush and brings the flowering back, and replanted divisions settle in over 1 to 2 years.
SeedDemanding
Sow ripe seed in autumn · 5 years or more to flowering
Growing daffodils from seed is a job for the patient. Sow ripe seed in autumn and the seedlings take 5 years or more to reach blooming size, which is why this route is mainly left to breeders chasing new varieties.
Myths
Daffodil bulbs are safe to eat because they look like onions.
The resemblance is exactly what makes them dangerous, and people have been poisoned cooking a daffodil bulb in place of an onion. The bulb is the most toxic part of the plant, loaded with lycorine and other alkaloids. No part of a daffodil is food, so keep the bulbs well away from the kitchen.