Narcissus: The Daffodil
History and Description
The daffodil, Narcissus species, originated in Europe and northern Africa, spread out in pockets of different climates and habitats. Now they are distributed throughout the world, showcased in public gardens and home landscapes. Daffodils are even indicators of where homes used to be, with colonies of blooms along roadsides or in forested areas. However, daffodils are only a recent fashion for gardens. They did not become popular as ornamentals until the late 1800s, long after tulips were all the rage.
When one thinks of a daffodil, a bright yellow trumpet flower usually comes to mind. Yet, there is more diversity of daffodils than one may think. Estimates of between 50 and 200 different species of Narcissus have been claimed. The Iberian Peninsula and the mountains of Morocco and Algeria are home to the majority of Narcissus species. Each species’ flower is structured similarly with a perianth of six petals and a corona (also called trumpet or cup). Flower color combinations stretch beyond the standard yellow with hues of white, pink, and orange. The daffodil is a hardy bulb that overwinters in USDA zones 3 through 8.
Plant Breeding
Though the daffodil bulb never went for the top-market prices like tulip bulbs during "tulip mania," they are valuable in their own right. By 1910, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) had a listing of nearly 2,500 daffodil names. There are now 32,000 registered cultivars around the globe, but only about 10 percent are available commercially. The popularity of the daffodil began with plant breeders. These unique plants people marveled at and wanted to take the daffodil species they found to new heights. There are records of daffodils in gardens and a few hybrids in books and journals from the 1600s and 1700s. In the 19th-century, daffodil breeding took flight, first in England and Scotland, then to Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, New Zealand, and southern Australia. William Herbert of Manchester, England, began making crosses based on his research into species and hybrid daffodils. He determined that the daffodils he found in gardens and some wild spaces and sold for those purposes were hybrids, either intentional or natural. Edward Leeds was integral in creating hybrids from Narcissus poeticus, white petals with a corona of yellow tinged with red. Peter Barr popularized the mass plantings, or naturalization, of daffodils in the landscape. Today, many of the daffodils for sale are bred in the Netherlands and imported. However, some daffodil breeders are in the western United States, and one daffodil breeding operation is close to home in Virginia, Brent & Becky's Bulbs.
Classification
With so many species and cultivars, a need arose for societies, clubs, competitions, and shows devoted to daffodils. The American Daffodil Society, founded in 1954, and the RHS utilize a classification system based on 13 divisions to organize the assortment of daffodils. The classification starts with Division 1 – Trumpet Daffodils and ends with Division 13 – Daffodils distinguished solely by botanical name, including species, wild variants, and wild hybrids. Miniatures, which have become increasingly trendy, are then put through the same standard classifications. The only difference is that their blooms are two inches or less in diameter. The other two elements of the classification system are the color codes: Perianth Colors (petals) and Corona Colors (cup). Dr. Throckmorton of Iowa devised the color-coding elements. The RHS adopted the system in 1975 to add to the division classification. With this knowledge in hand, it is easy to enter any stunning specimens from your garden in daffodil shows near you.
Cultivation
October through early November is the time to plant daffodil bulbs. When bulbs are installed before the ground freezes, they have time to develop a strong root system. Cooler night temperatures, 55°F and less, help the bulb initiate root growth. The typical way to plant a daffodil has been to dig a hole, place the bulb in the hole, and cover it with soil. This method has worked for plenty of gardeners. Still, with some extra preparation, planning, and care, the daffodils will reward you in the spring. Loamy soil with some humus is preferred. Daffodil flowers like to follow the sun, so light is crucial, but they may bloom in partial shade. If the shade becomes too deep, lots of leaves will grow, but no flower will form. This is called coming up "blind."
Soil depth is also a factor to consider. Planting the bulb too deep or too shallow could cause problems in blooming. The general recommendation is that the soil depth from ground level to the top of the bulb should be twice the bulb's height. For an instant eye-catching grouping, plant bulbs 2 to 3 inches apart, but keep in mind that they will be overcrowded in a few years. Spacing 4 to 6 inches is the typical recommendation. Know the location of each cultivar. Labeling is helpful. However, create a diagram if wildlife or weather elements tend to move plant labels around. Just a simple layout of the garden bed and placement will aid any gardener from asking where those flowers are that I planted last year. Also, keep a note of bloom times for each cultivar. There are early, mid-, and late-blooming daffodils. Plant a few of each bloom type for an extended season of daffodils either en masse or within the perennial beds and borders.
After blooms fade, the leaves will hang or rather flop around. Though gardeners may be tempted to cut them back, it is recommended not to. The leaves are still photosynthesizing and sending food back into the bulb. This process is vital if one wants flowers next spring. During this time, plan for other plants to be blooming, whether perennials or early annuals, to take the attention from the unruly daffodil leaves. Wait until the leaves are brown and dead to cut back. A popular trend of braiding or folding the daffodil leaves only reduces the leaf surface area of collecting sunlight. That means the leaf decreases its ability to provide food back to the bulb. Let those leaves be floppy and wild.
There is more to the happy daffodil than meets the eye. Now armed with some extra knowledge and a renewed passion for daffodils, you will create gardens that will be spots of respite as spring returns. For more information about daffodil cultivars, planting plans, pests, diseases, etc., check out the DaffLibrary by the American Daffodil Society.
