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Daffodils: How to Plant, Grow, and Enjoy Spring’s Cheerful Blooms

yellow jetfire daffodil flowers in the spring

Yellow daffodils, ‘Jetfire’ Narcissus, in flower in early spring

Image Credit:
Alex Manders/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Narcissus spp.
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Toxicity
Toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
Under 1 foot
Spread
Under 1 foot
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Spring
Flower Color
Orange
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Cut Flower
Disease-Resistant
Low Maintenance
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Plant Type
Bulbs
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Nothing heralds spring like the cheerful daffodil! These sunshine-yellow flowers emerge at winter’s end to lift our spirits. Plus, daffodil bulbs are deer- and rodent-resistant (unlike tulips)! 

Learn more about how and when to plant daffodils—and the delightful variety of choices, from the classic yellow to mini daffodils.

Daffodils are hardy perennials that come back year after year, spreading and often naturalizing. They are fall-planted bulbs, usually planted in October, and the flowers bloom in late winter or early spring. (They are the March birth flower, after all!) Most daffodils grow easily in most regions of North America, except in the hottest, wettest areas, such as South Florida.

There are thousands of daffodil varieties. The traditional daffodil flower may be a showy yellow or white, with six petals and a trumpet-shaped central corona. Still, many cultivated varieties (cultivars) exist today if you fancy experimenting with a more exotic double, frilled, or bicolor narcissus.

Daffodils are suitable for planting between shrubs, on a border, or even in pots. We especially love daffodils in a woodland garden and large groves. You’ll find that many gardeners plant the bulbs not just by the dozens but by the hundreds! Daffodil flowers can also be forced inside to add cheer to the winter months, making great springtime cut flowers.

Choosing Daffodil Bulbs

Select high-quality daffodil bulbs that have not been dried out. The larger the bulb, the better.

DutchGrown™ bulbs are of the highest quality, ensuring optimum performance. You probably haven’t seen daffodils bigger than their top-sized daffodil bulbs. See where to buy daffodil bulbs.

Planting

Where to Plant Daffodils

Daffodils do best in full sun, though they will grow in partial shade. They’re generally not picky about soil, but good drainage is vital as they are susceptible to rot when kept too wet. Hillsides and raised beds work well. Otherwise, improve clay soil by amending it (12 inches deep) with organic material such as well-rotted compost.

When to Plant Daffodil Bulbs

  • Plant daffodil bulbs in the fall—at least 2 to 4 weeks before the ground freezes. See local frost dates.

How to Plant Daffodil Bulbs

  • Plant the bulb with the top (pointy end) set about two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. For example, the top of a 2-inch bulb should be about 4 inches in the ground, while a 3-inch bulb should be planted 5 to 6 inches deep.
  • Where winters are severe, make sure at least 3 inches of soil is covering the bulb.
  • Daffodils will tolerate crowding, but they prefer to be placed about 3 to 6 inches apart.
  • It may help to sprinkle a little bulb fertilizer in the hole during planting. Learn more about preparing soil for planting.
  • Resist the temptation to uncover spring-flowering plants such as daffodils and tulips. You can loosen mulch, but the shoots will still benefit from protection against cold, drying winds in early spring.
  • Daffodils contain oxalic acid—a substance that makes them unpalatable to most rodent pests. However, if pests are bothering your bulbs, consider adding sharp pieces of shells or a pelleted rodent deterrent into and around each planting hole.

Growing

  • Apply a low-nitrogen, high-potash (potassium) fertilizer after flowering if bulbs are not performing as desired. Learn more about preparing the soil for planting and soil amendments.
  • Water late-flowering daffodils in dry spring weather (flowers may abort in dry conditions).
  • Lift and divide the clumps when flowering becomes sparse or the clumps become congested.

After Daffodils Bloom

  • After the flowers fade, you can deadhead (pinch off) the faded flowers.
  • However, do NOT remove the leaves until they turn yellow. Daffodils use their leaves to store energy in the bulbs for next year’s flowers. The plant continues to absorb nutrients for about 6 weeks after the flowers have faded. If you cut or mow them back too early, they will not bloom next year.
  • Keep watering the plants even if the blooms have faded.
  • Once the leaves have yellowed and died back naturally, you can snip off the dead leaves at the base (or pull lightly while twisting the leaves). You can also mow the area without worry.
  • Once daffodils (and tulips) have gone by, add bone meal to the soil for next year’s blooms.

If the dying leaves offend your sensibility, plant other bulbs, such as daffodils, daylilies, or true lilies, in the same area to hide the fading foliage.

Harvesting

  • When cutting daffodils, keeping these flowers in their own vase is best, as their stems secrete a fluid, that promotes the wilting of other flowers. If you must combine them, soak them by themselves for as long as possible, then rinse them and add them to the arrangement last. Learn more about keeping cut flowers fresh.
  • Note that contact with the sap of daffodils may irritate skin or aggravate skin allergies.

Pests and Problems

  • Daffodils are both deer-resistant and rodent-proof, as these animals do not like the taste of the bulbs in the Narcissus family.
  • Daffodils can also be toxic to pets, so make sure your animals don’t munch on them.
  • The most common problems include bulb scale mites, large narcissus bulb fly, narcissus basal rot, narcissus nematode, slugs, and other fungal infections and viruses.

Types

According to the American Daffodil Society, there are 13 official daffodil flower types and more than 25,000 named cultivars!

Whatever variety you choose, the most important tip is: Get the best quality bulbs for the best flowers. The bigger the bulbs, the better. Look for top-size bulbs, the biggest bulbs on the market. 

  • ‘Dutch Master’ is the classic daffodil—big and yellow with a very large cup and oversized trumpets. They bloom early, naturalize easily, and are great for planting in masses.

dutch master daffodil grove

  • ‘Barrett Browning’ is the recognizable pure white daffodil with a bright orange trumpet surrounded by a golden halo. They bloom early, naturalize easily, and do well in warmer climates, too.

white daffodils with yellow centers, barrett browning cultivar

  • ’Tahiti’ is a stunner with layers of rounded, golden yellow petals interspersed with frilly, red-orange accents. They bloom mid- to late season, last longer, and make an excellent cut flower.

tahiti daffodil flowers

  • ‘Tete-a-Tete’ is an adorable mini daffodil that flowers early and blooms for weeks as one of the longest-blooming varieties. Ideal for flower beds and containers and naturalizes with ease.

Tete-a-Tete mini daffodils

  • ‘Jetfire’ is another mini daffodil with bright orange cups and swept-back yellow petals. It blooms in early spring, is very long-lasting, and doesn’t flop over.

Jetfire mini daffofil flowers

  • ‘Petit Four’ is a good choice for a partially shady site. The flower has white petals with a double cup of apricot pink and grows 16 inches tall.
  • ‘Cheerfulness’ bears double flowers and multiple blooms per stem; this daffodil is very fragrant with a lovely gardenia-like scent. Blooms in late spring and makes an excellent cut flower.
  • ‘Thalia’ is an all-white daffodil, making it wonderful for moon gardens. Learn about 20 pure white flowers to include in your garden.

See plenty more varieties here!

Wit and Wisdom

Here’s some daffodil-themed prose to brighten your day:

“Daffodowndilly”
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.”
–A.A. Milne, in When We Were Very Young

Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty.
–William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
–William Wordsworth, “I Wander’d Lonely as a Cloud”

Of Spring Weather:
Chillier, but daffodillier.
–The 1991 Old Farmer’s Almanac

Bulbs

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 04/29/2020 - 15:20

Normally, rodents, bunnies, deer, etc., will avoid daffodils, as the flowers can be toxic. It may be that one animal didn't know that until biting into a few. According to some sources, deer usually leave a ragged cut when chewing plants. Rabbits can leave a clean cut, usually at a bit of an angle. Groundhogs may also leave a clean cut. Some birds, such as crows, have been known to clip off flowers in general and just leave them on the ground. Look around for signs of fur, feathers, tracks, etc., in case they might give you a clue as to the culprit!

 <span>Helen Leonard</span> Mon, 04/20/2020 - 17:33
Many of my daffodils are not flowering but their leaves are coming up. I thought this was a sign to separate them. When I dug them up there were many small baby bulbs which separated and will replant. Is not flowering a sign that they need to be separated? If not, what is the problem?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 04/23/2020 - 14:18

Unfortunately, there is no one problem—or at least no single one we can identify. Daffodils fail to bloom when or if they . . . 

• do not get at least a half day of sunlight

• are in an area with poor drainage

• have been fed with a high-nitrogen fertilizer OR have not been fertilized in years (a 5-10-10 mix when planted, when leaves emerge, and at bloom is recommended)

• experienced a heat wave last spring

• have a virus, e.g., yellow stripe (such lines appear in the foliage)

• foliage was removed last season before bulbs could replenish the bulbs; leaving the foliage for six weeks is advised

Those are most of the common reasons. Perhaps one is yours?

 <span>Doreen</span> Sat, 04/18/2020 - 09:48
I’ve had a lot of what I call blind daffs what’s the best thing to do with them. I usually leave them in the ground. If I dig them up how would one know which is the blind ones. Thank you
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 04/20/2020 - 16:56

Unfortunately, without observing which have bloomed and which haven't (and labeling them accordingly), it's not possible to tell them apart. The ones that have bloomed should keep their flowers for a little while after blooming, so keep an eye on them and mark which are which before digging!

 <span>Gay Graham</span> Fri, 04/17/2020 - 16:53
We have an abundance of daffodils that are quite lovely. I notice that the bloom, especially as it starts to fade, has somewhat of a bulge under the petals. Can these be planted, and therefore, will I realize more flowers next spring? I live on San Juan Island, WA.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 04/20/2020 - 16:57

Those are likely the daffodil seed pods. While it's possible to plant them, they typically take several years to grow into a proper plant and produce blooms. Generally, they're not worth the trouble of planting, unless you don't mind waiting!

 <span>Suzanne</span> Thu, 04/16/2020 - 08:33
Its mid-April and my daffodils were all accidentally pulled out and leaves stripped. If I replant now will they come back this spring? Or should I replant now and just wait till next year?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 04/16/2020 - 15:37

Daffodil bulbs have roots like most plants so something so disruptive as pulling them out has done them in, certainly for this year. In their best form, daffs use their foliage to help to produce the energy for the next season's blooms after each season's flower period. So yours have been compromised. Hard to tell how they will fare going forward but it's worth the time/trouble to replant them and see what happens next year. To be on the safe side, that is, to have flowers next spring, you might want to buy new bulbs in the fall and plant them then, as usual. Most people think you/we can't have too many daffodils!

 <span>Diane</span> Wed, 04/15/2020 - 11:15
I received a beautiful pot of daffodils as an Easter gift. Can I plant these outside (in Wisconsin) while they’re flowering? Or should I keep them in the post until they die off, then just plant the bulbs in fall?