Daffodil

About Daffodil

Daffodils are tough spring bulbs with trumpet- or cup-shaped flowers in yellow, white, orange and pink, many of them fragrant. They come back and spread for years and are the most reliable spring bulb for naturalizing, even in the South (Clemson). Every part is poisonous, so deer, rabbits and rodents leave them alone (NC State, Iowa State, Clemson).

NC State lists zones 4-8; some fragrant tazetta types, such as Chinese sacred lily, are hardy only in mild coastal areas (Clemson).

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Plant bulbs in fall: October to November in the Carolinas and October in Iowa, as late as December if the ground isn't frozen (Clemson, Iowa State). Waiting until the soil cools keeps leaves from sprouting in fall; set bulbs 6-8 inches deep (about three times their height), small kinds like 'Tete-a-Tete' 4-6 inches.

Soil

Almost any well-drained soil; they need moisture while growing but rot in soggy ground, so add compost to poor soil (NC State, Iowa State).

Well-drained soil with compost worked in; Iowa State says fertilizer usually isn't needed unless a soil test shows poor fertility.

Feeding

• Early spring, as shoots come up: balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10. Missouri Extension says feed lightly each spring; Clemson gives 1-2 lb per 100 sq ft in fall and again as shoots emerge. Follow a soil test.

Never braid, bundle or cut the leaves before they turn brown in early summer, which starves next year's flowers (Iowa State), and don't feed once flowering starts (Rutgers).

Harvest

Daffodils bloom from late winter to spring (late March through April in Iowa), and each kind flowers for 2-3 weeks. You don't need to deadhead. For bouquets, cut when the buds bend down at about 45 degrees and stand them in their own water first, since the sap they ooze harms other cut flowers (Iowa State).

Varieties (20)

Pests to watch for

Slugs, Brown garden snail, Aphids, Narcissus bulb fly

Diseases and problems

Bulb rot

In the kitchen

Safety: Every part is poisonous to people, the bulbs most of all: eating them causes vomiting and diarrhea and sometimes trembling or convulsions. Handling stems, flowers and bulbs can cause a skin rash (NC State).

Pets: Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA): lycorine and other alkaloids cause vomiting, drooling and diarrhea, and large amounts (mostly from bulbs) can cause tremors, seizures, low blood pressure and heart rhythm problems.