Varieties of Poet’s Daffodil
Small Cupped Daffodil
Small-cup daffodils have all the same qualities of large-cup and trumpet daffodils, with the exception of the size of their cups. To be classified as a small-cup daffodil, the cup must be less than one-third the length of the petals.Most small-cup daffodils bear only one flower per stem. Blooms may be yellow, white, pink, or bicolor, and some are fragrant. Daffodils make good cut flowers. Plants may be full-size or miniature. All varieties in this class are deer- and rabbit-resistant.
Large Cupped Daffodil
Large-cup and trumpet daffodils are nearly no-fail spring bulbs. Deer and rabbits avoid them, and they bloom reliably each spring, often increasing in spread and amount of bloom from year to year. The varieties classified as large-cup or trumpet daffodils usually have one flower per stem, and the cup (or corona) is about one-third the length of the petals. In trumpet types, the cup is longer than the petals.While this group has some of the largest daffodil varieties available, it also includes miniatures with large cups relative to petal length.
Double Daffodil
Double daffodils are the show-offs of the daffodil world. Not content with a single row of petals, they have multiple rings of petals or tufted cups full of frills. Flower colors may be yellow, white, peach, pink, bicolor, or mixed. Many are so packed with petals that they almost look like miniature peonies.As with single daffodils, the plants are deer and rabbit resistant and easy to grow. Double varieties do have a drawback, however: The flowers are sometimes so heavy that the stems have difficulty holding the blooms upright. You may need to stake individual stems or harvest fallen flowers for bouquets.
Tazetta Daffodil
Tazetta daffodils are commonly called paperwhite narcissus. They have multiple blooms per stem, with as few as three or as many as 20. Most are extremely fragrant and may be forced to bloom indoors for a touch of spring in late winter. You can force the bulbs in pots or in pebbles with water.Outdoors, plant paperwhite narcissus in well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. They are deer- and rabbit-resistant.
Split Cup Daffodil
Split-cup daffodils are so named because varieties in this division have a central cup that’s cut – usually for more than half its length. They are sometimes called butterfly daffodils because the split sections of the cup fold back against the petals, resembling spread butterfly wings.In other respects, split-cup daffodils resemble standard trumpet or large-cup daffodils. They bear one flower per stem and come in the full range of daffodil colors: white, yellow, pink, orange, and bicolor. Some varieties are fragrant, and all are resistant to deer and rabbit damage.
Jonquil
Although the terms jonquil and daffodil are often used interchangeably, jonquils are technically only one type of daffodil. Jonquils have one to five flowers per stem and are usually quite fragrant. The petals may be spreading or reflexed. As with other types of daffodils, jonquils are reliable spring bloomers, resisting damage from rabbits and deer. Bulbs increase by natural division, making them great for naturalizing.
Cyclamineus Daffodil
Cyclamineus daffodils received their name from their short-necked flowers, which are sharply angled toward the stem, resembling cyclamen blooms. Many of these daffodil varieties feature petals that flare back away from the cup, creating even greater similarity to cyclamen. Their flowers are usually borne singly on each stem and may be yellow or white with a cup of the same or a contrasting color.These easy-care spring flowers are resistant to deer and rabbits, and grow best in dry summer conditions.
Narcissus Bulbocodium
Narcissus bulbocodium is also called hoop-petticoat daffodil because the cup, or corona, is much larger than the petals, so each flower appears to be mostly a cup with a fringe of petals surrounding it. The plant usually bears a single flower per stem. Native to western France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, it grows best in areas that have warm, dry summers. It is a bit less cold-hardy than many of the larger hybrid daffodils. However, like its larger cousins, it is deer- and rabbit-resistant.
Triandrus Daffodil
Triandrus daffodils usually have two or more flowers per stem. The petals on each flower flare backward and bend down at the neck. Most daffodils in this group are sweetly scented and appear in shades of white and yellow.Long-lived triandrus daffodils are good for naturalizing in drought-prone areas and make excellent cut flowers. Deer and rabbits avoid eating them, and few other pests bother them.
‘Actaea’ Daffodil
Narcissus poeticus ‘Actaea’ is an heirloom variety from 1919. The fragrant flowers have white petals and a small yellow cup with a red rim. It blooms in mid- to late spring on stems to 16 inches tall. Plant in zones 3-7.
