How to Select Daffodils

Daffodils are flowering bulbs. They often have bright yellow flowers and long green leaves. An old rhyme goes, "Daffodowndilly has come to town, in a yellow petticoat and a green gown." Daffodil is the common name for narcissus plants. Daffodils are available in over 40 species and 25,000 registered hybrids. Most are hardy and tolerate freezing winters. Choose large or small daffodils, early or late blooming varieties. These easy to grow flowers bring cheer to spring gardens.

Things You'll Need

• Daffodil bulbs
• Potted daffodils

Instructions

1. 

   Sketch a garden plan for daffodil zones. Daffodils are suited to borders, window planters, containers and mass plantings. Daffodils are excellent for planting along walls or with flowering perennials. By the time daffodils finish blooming and the foliage fades, neighboring plants overshadow with fresh flowering foliage.

2. 

   Plant hardy daffodils for early blooming. These daffodils will bloom in snow and freezing weather. Choose trumpet varieties like Rijnveld's Early Sensation, Las Vegas and Arctic Gold. The trumpet daffodils have large blooms and long blooming seasons. Plant them in clusters and with other bulbs like crocus or tulips for a colorful flowering bulb garden.

3. 

   Use jonquil daffodils and other tender daffodils for warm climates. Warm weather daffodils include Avalanche, Bell Song and Golden Bells. The Barrett Browning daffodil is named after poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning and thrives in warm weather.

4. 

   Create borders with daffodils. Choose one color for a wide band of color or plant a mix of apricot, white, gold and yellow blooms. For a longer blooming season, plant a selection of early to late blooming daffodils. Early bloomers include February Gold and Jetfire. Mid-season bloomers include Salome, Redhill and Mount Hood. For late season, choose daffodils like Cheerfulness. Mix the daffodils with other flowers for full color.

5. Use miniature daffodils in rock gardens, containers and window boxes. These little daffies grow 2 to 6 inches tall and have blooms 1 to 2 inches across. These colorful little flowers are in colors from cream and peach to yellow and orange. Varieties include Rip Van Winkle, Baby Moon and Junior Miss.

Tips & Warnings

• Tuck daffodil bulbs in groundcover for spring blooms.

• Parts of daffodils are toxic. Do not use them for food. Do not let children or pets chew on the bulbs.

• Daffodils have a skin irritant in their sap. It causes a common rash called daffodil pickers' rash. Avoid contact with the plant sap or wear gloves when working with the flowers.

Resources

• American Daffodil Society