Varieties of Split Cup Daffodil

Small Cup 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.

Poet’s Daffodil

Poet’s daffodils are also sometimes called poeticus or pheasant-eye daffodils. The latter designation derives from their red-rimmed yellow or green cups that resemble a pheasant’s eye against the backdrop of the bulb’s white petals. The flowers are borne one to a stem and are fragrant.This division of daffodils, like all others, is resistant to deer and rabbit damage. The plants are drought-tolerant and naturalize readily.

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.

‘Cassata’ daffodil

Narcissus ‘Cassata’ is a midseason-blooming variety that grows 16 inches tall. Petals are white with a creamy white center. The split cup opens pale yellow and matures to creamy white, almost completely obscuring the surrounding white petals. Zones 3-9

‘Parisienne’ daffodil

Narcissus ‘Parisienne’ shows off pure-white petals and a yellow-orange to salmon-orange cup. This midseason bloomer grows 14 inches tall. Zones 3-8

‘Shrike’ daffodil

Narcissus ‘Shrike’ has white petals and a ruffled coral-pink cup with hints of yellow at the tips. This award-winner blooms in midspring and grows 16 inches tall. Zones 3-8

‘Sorbet’ daffodil

Narcissus ‘Sorbet’ has a split cup that gives the effect of a large golden star. The cup is tipped with orange and superimposed on a background of white petals. This plant grows 16 inches tall. Zones 4-8

‘Sovereign’ daffodil

Narcissus ‘Sovereign’ bears white petals that form a collar around the large ruffled yellow cup. It grows 18 inches tall. Zones 3-9