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Daffodil

Narcissus jonquilla (nar-SIS-us jong-KWIL-uh)

Family: Amaryllidaceae Unknown Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

The Jonquil is a flowering herbaceous perennial, bulb in the onion family that grows up to 1 1⁄2 feet tall. This plant blooms in mid-spring, has a spreading habit and is good for naturalizing. It has long slender leaves and clusters of fragrant, deep yellow flowers.The genus name honors the beautiful youth from Greek mythology who became so entranced with his own reflection that he pined away and the gods turned him into this flower. The species name comes from the Spanish, jonquillo , which means "little rush" and refers to the narrow, rush-like leaves. Jonquils prefer moist, well-drained, lime-free soil in full sun or partial shade. This plant benefits from the addition of bone meal or superphosphate to the planting soil. This plant is tolerant of heat and drought, but is intolerant of extremely wet conditions. In the fall, plant the bulbs in quantity 3 to 5 inches deep and 3 to 6 inches apart to enjoy these easy to grow showy golden-yellow flowers in the spring. Flowers face the sun, so site the bulbs with any shade areas at the rear of the planting. Seed heads can be removed after flowering, but do not remove leaves until they have died back as they are providing nutrients to next year's bulb. Cut foliage back after it has browned naturally. The plant matures relatively slowly, reaching full height in 2 to 5 years. Quick ID Hints: 1 to 3 flowers per stem, cylindric and onion-like leaves Perianth segments are spreading, not reflexed, and yellow Corona is cup-shaped and yellow Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect pests or diseases. Bulb rot can occur in poorly-drained soils. Watch for snail, slugs and bulb mites. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants", a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Narcissus .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 50 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Narcissus cyclamineus Narcissus pseudonarcissus Narcissus tazetta Narcissus triandrus Narcissus x incomparabilis Narcissus x odorus

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Bulb; Herbaceous Perennial
Life cycle
Bulb; Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
< 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are basal, linear, channeled at base and cylindric above, entire, erect, and less than an inch wide.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary; Umbel
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers have 1 to 3 petals, are scapose, ascending, fragrant, less than an inch in diameter, subtended by a one-valved, and have a membranous spathe. They are perianth tubular at base with 6 segments. The perianth segments are yellow, elliptic, and entire. Corona is yellow, conspicuous, cup-shaped, and has a margin that is shallowly lobed or somewhat crenate and less than an inch long and wide.
Bloom time
Spring
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Portugal, Spain
Distribution
Europe, Canada, and much of the United States
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Walkways
Design feature
Accent; Border; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#rabbit resistant #easy to grow #showy flowers #yellow flowers #low maintenance #drought tolerant #deer resistant #fragrant flowers #fantz #HS302 #problem for cats #problem for dogs #problem for horses #herbaceous perennial #bulb #mass planting #th-wildlife #th-smell
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Slugs and Snails Found on Flowers and Foliage; Bulb Mites; Narcissus Bulb Fly
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Deer; Diseases; Drought; Heat; Insect Pests; Rabbits
Propagation
Division
Poison severity
Low
Poison symptoms
Vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors, and cardiac arrhythmias. Bulbs are the most poisonous part.
Toxic principle
Lycorine and other alkaloids
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.