Daffodils: Ireland’s favourite sign of spring

Long before the clocks go forward, buckets of tight green daffodil buds appear at shop doors all over the country. A bunch costs little, opens within a day on a warm windowsill and turns a grey February kitchen yellow.

Yellow trumpet daffodil — Yellow trumpet

White narcissus with orange cup — White with an orange cup

Narcissus with a pink cup in a spring arrangement — Pink-cupped

Daffodils growing in a garden bed — Out in the garden

Spring bouquets with daffodils and narcissi.

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Daffodil Day and what the flower means here

For most people in Ireland the daffodil is tied to one cause. Every March the Irish Cancer Society holds Daffodil Day, when volunteers sell daffodil pins and fresh flowers on streets, at train stations and in workplaces to raise money for cancer care and research. Because of that, a bunch of daffodils given to someone who is ill carries a clear and kind message: hope, and support.

Older meanings go back to Greek myth. Narcissus was the young man who fell for his own reflection in a pool and was turned into the flower that leans over the water. Despite the vanity story, the daffodil has become a symbol of new beginnings, mostly because it is one of the first flowers to open after winter. In Wales it is the national flower, worn on St David’s Day.

Irish gardeners and the daffodil

Ireland has a proud record in daffodil breeding. Guy Wilson of Broughshane in Co Antrim spent decades in the first half of the twentieth century raising new varieties and was especially known for pure white daffodils, and Northern Irish breeders have kept winning prizes at shows since. Many named varieties in garden centres here trace back to that work.

Types worth knowing

Trumpet daffodils such as ‘Carlton’ and ‘Dutch Master’: the big yellow bunch-of-the-week type.
Small-cupped and white kinds such as ‘Ice Follies’, which opens creamy and fades almost to white.
Miniatures such as ‘Tête-à-Tête’, sold in pots for windowsills and window boxes.
Multi-headed, scented narcissi such as ‘Cheerfulness’ and the paperwhites, which fill a room with perfume.
Doubles with ruffled centres; pretty, though the heavy heads can flop after rain.

Brighten someone’s day with a bunch of spring colour.

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The sap problem, and how to solve it

A cut daffodil stem oozes a clear, slimy sap. In a shared vase it clogs the stems of tulips, roses and other flowers so they wilt early. Florists get round it in one of two ways:

Give them a night alone. Put the daffodils in a jug of their own for several hours or overnight, then add them to the mixed vase. Do not trim them again, or the sap starts flowing anew.
Keep them on their own. A jug of nothing but daffodils is a classic look and avoids the issue completely.

Making a bunch last

Buy them in bud, just showing colour. They open within a day indoors.
Use shallow water; daffodil stems go soft if they sit deep.
Refresh the water often, as it clouds quickly.
Keep them cool. A bunch in a warm room is over in a few days, in a cool one it lasts about a week.

Ready to send flowers in spring? For other seasonal ideas see our tulip guide and our care tips, or look up meanings in flower language.

⚠️ Toxic to pets: All parts of daffodils are poisonous to dogs and cats, the bulbs most of all. They contain lycorine, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea; larger amounts can affect the heart and breathing. Keep bulbs and vases out of reach, and contact a vet if anything has been eaten.

Send a jug of spring sunshine to someone in Ireland.

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Daffodil questions

Is a daffodil the same as a narcissus?

Yes. Narcissus is the botanical name for the whole group. In everyday Irish use, daffodil means the big trumpet types, while narcissus is often kept for the small, scented, many-headed kinds such as paperwhites.

Can I put daffodils in a vase with tulips?

Not straight away. Freshly cut daffodils leak a sticky sap that makes other flowers droop. Stand them in a separate jug of water for several hours, then move them into the mixed vase without cutting the stems again.

Are daffodils dangerous for pets?

Yes. Every part of the plant is poisonous to dogs and cats, and the bulbs are the worst. Eating them can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and, in larger amounts, more serious symptoms, so ring your vet if a pet has chewed one.

When are daffodils in season in Ireland?

Garden daffodils flower from about February to April, depending on the variety and how mild the winter has been. Cut daffodils from growers are in the shops from mid-winter, so you can find them well before the first ones open outside.