Botanical Name: Narcissus
Blooms Locally: Late March
Meaning of Flower: "Regard" or "Chivalry"
It's hard to think of spring without picturing the sweetness of the bright yellow daffodil. The daffodil is a true spring mascot, beckoning in the year's first days of genuine warmth and fading as quickly as spring often does. Daffodils are so abundant because they require almost no maintenance to grow. Simply plant the bulbs in late fall and revel in your gardening accomplishment as you watch the first green leaves poke through the soil in late March. In Wales, it is said that if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your year will be filled with good fortune.
Daffodils are an excellent cut flower. They are lovely paired in an arrangement with forsythia branches. If cut, they should not be placed in a vase with other flower varieties, as they secrete a liquid that promotes wilting in other flower varieties. If you really want to mix them with other flowers, you can put the put stems in a cup of cool water overnight to drain the harmful substance from the stem. You will want to recondition them every few days by trimming the stems and replacing the water to keep them looking fresh.
Photos by Becca Olcott
