Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cmTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0–0.1 metreGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | Yellow | Green | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats, tortoises): Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Narcissus are bulbous herbaceous perennials with linear leaves and leafless stems bearing flowers, which may be solitary or in umbels, with 6 spreading perianth segments and a cup or trumpet-shaped corona
- Name status
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Jonquilla and Apodanthus daffodils have very narrow cylindrical leaves and stems with up to 5, usually fragrant, flowers per stem, with spreading perianth segments and a small cup
How to grow
Cultivation
Plant bulbs at one and a half to two times their own depth in autumn, in well-drained soil that is constantly moist during the growing season in spring but drier and warmer during the rest of the year; it may need a bulb frame to thrive and flower. See daffodil cultivation for further advice
Propagation
See bulb propagation
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning
Deadhead as flowers fade and allow the leaves to die down naturally
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs, narcissus bulb fly, narcissus eelworm, and bulb scale mite
Diseases
May be susceptible to narcissus basal rot, narcissus leaf scorch or daffodil viruses
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.