The All Things Plants Top 25 Daffodils

#1: Daffodil (Narcissus 'Tete-a-Tete')

@valleylynn says, "Early blooming backcross of N. cyclamineus × N. 'Cyclataz' (N. cyclamineus × N. tazetta 'Grand Soleil d'Or').

This Narcissus is a good choice for pot forcing.
It multiplies freely so should be divided every 5 to 10 years to prevent overcrowding of the bulbs.

Jan. 2013. I dug up some of the bulbs to send home with a friend. The bulbs have grown to a very large size and have already produced many offset bulbs, after only one year of planting."

#2: Triandrus Daffodil (Narcissus 'Thalia')

@critterologist says, "One of the last to bloom in my garden, 'Thalia' provides a gentle end to the spring daffodil show. Their delicate windswept looking blooms are sweetly fragrant, not as individually powerful as 'Tahiti' or some of the other double and split-corona daffs, but with none of the muskiness of paperwhites, either. They increase well for me; 50 bulbs has turned into a nice little drift in the past 5 or 6 years."

#3: Double Daffodil (Narcissus 'Tahiti')

@critterologist says, "The first double daffodil I've grown and still one of my favorites. I love the little sparkles of brilliant orange color, and the scent is such a sweet perfume! It's a moderate increaser for me."

@jmorth added, "The International Daffodil Register & Classified List of the RHS has two registered daffodils of this name. The other is a division 2 entry from Australia/New Zealand w/ first flowering noted around 1927."

#4: Double Daffodil (Narcissus 'Rip van Winkle')

@valleylynn says, "Also known as 'Plenus'.
Rip Van Winkle is an heirloom dating back to about 1884. Considered a miniature.
It has whorls of narrow, pale greenish yellow petals, some with a slight twist. Blooms are 1 to 2" across.
This one naturalizes well."

@jmorth added, "RHS - 'l. about 50 mm wide, pale greenish yellow; perianth and other petaloid segments in several whorls symmetrically superimposed, narrowly ovate and acute, or lanceolate and with prominently incurved mucro, sometimes twisted, with margins tinged green, separated; the outer whorl inflexed; the inner whorls successively more strongly inflexed; corona segments opposite the petaloid segments, a little shorter, clustered at centre, more loosely interspersed among the surrounding whorls, obscurely bi-lobed. Very early. 2n=14,21.
Parent notes-variant of {N. pumilus}?
‘The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database’, available at www.rhs.org.uk
Synonym -'Plenus'
Used as pollen parent once (Jack Ripper, 2005).
Some comments from DaffSeek 10-7-13 -
'A description according to Daffodils, narcissus, and how to grow them as a hardy plants for cut... 1907 by Arthur Martin Kirby, “A very rare and interesting doubled form of the single Ajax Minor. A native of Ireland. Dwarf habit. Early and free flowering. The small doubled flowers are pale yellow, and fragrant. Petals pointed and curiously twisted.”
A description according to The Garden Volume 35, Midsummer 1884: “This is a small, narrow-pointed double yellow Daffodil, and is now pretty generally supposed to be a double phase of N. minor, which it resembles in habit time of flowering, and general aspect'.
A very successful daffodil."

#5: Small-Cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Barrett Browning')

@jmorth says, "So bright it would glow in the night. An oft awarded perennializer w/ brilliant white petals behind an orange-red cup that is surrounded by a ring of yellow at its base. May be forced over winter for an early preview of spring.
A small cup division 3 daffodil, cup bit larger than general perception of most cultivars in this division."

#6: Large-Cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Ice Follies')

@jmorth says, "A popular daffodil w/ unusually large flowers (to 4" across). Each flower features white petals and a flattened ruffled yellow cup that matures to creamy white. One flower per stem. Excellent fresh cut flower. Easy to force.

Grow in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in organically rich, sandy to loams that drain well. Plant bulbs 4-6" deep and 3-6” apart in fall. After the flowers have bloomed, the top portion of each flower stem may be removed. Foliage should not be cut back until it begins to yellow. Flowers usually face the sun, so bulbs should be grown with any shade areas at the rear of the planting. Bulbs can be left undisturbed for a number of years.

Blooms year after year and keeps multiplying. Rates 5 stars at MOBOT."

#7: Cyclamineus Daffodil (Narcissus 'February Gold')

@critterologist says, "This was my earliest-blooming daffodil until I planted 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation'. I would appreciate them far less if they bloomed with the more showy daffodils that follow them!"

@jmorth added, "Very reliable all yellow garden daffodil that is one of the very first to appear each year.
Excellent choice for forcing overwinter but you got to start early or it'll beat you blooming outside.
Both seed and pollen fertile. Used in breeding new daffodils; listing of descendants may be accessed here - http://daffseek.org/query/Desc... (DaffSeek 6-1-13).
Multiple award winner, including several citations for forcing."

#8: Cyclamineus Daffodil (Narcissus 'Jetfire')

@jmorth says, "An excellent forcing daffodil. Small stature and strong color enhance it's forcibility. Good for show purposes as well and in the garden. Multiple award winner. Both seed and pollen are fertile. List of descendants can be found here http://daffseek.org/query/Desc... (DaffSeek 6-1-13).It's pedigree chart here http://daffseek.org/query/Pedi... (DaffSeek 6-1-13)
RHS description - Fl. 75 mm wide; perianth segments ovate, vivid yellow, with slight white mucro, strongly reflexed, creased, with margins wavy, overlapping one-third; the inner segments more heavily creased and with margins more strongly waved; corona cylindrical, loosely ribbed, constricted near mouth, strong orange, with mouth slightly expanded and rim regularly crenate. Slightly scented. With many secondary stems. www.rhs.org.uk
A very fine selection. Very popular. A personal favorite."

#9: Cyclamineus Narcissus (Narcissus 'Jack Snipe')

@jmorth says, "A multiple award winning daffodil.
Clump forming in the garden.
Excellent to force (then may be translocated outside for bloom in subsequent years)."

#10: Double Daffodil (Narcissus 'Sir Winston Churchill')

@Marilyn says, "Beautiful and wonderfully fragrant! I love it!"

@jmorth added, "Sport of N. 'Geranium'.
RHS description -'Fls averaging 4 per stem, rounded, 60 mm wide; perianth and other petaloid segments in several whorls, white; the outer whorl very broad, truncate, some with prominent mucro, spreading, overlapping half or more; the inner whorls inflexed, sometimes touched yellow or orange at midrib, with margins wavy or incurled; the center whorl short, strongly inflexed, with margins tightly incurled; corona segments shorter than the center whorl and clustered among them, orange.' (‘The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database’, available at www.rhs.org.uk)."

#11: Tazetta Daffodil (Narcissus 'Geranium')

@Marilyn says, "I've been growing Narcissus 'Geranium' for many years in my front flowerbed. As you can see from some of my photos, it spreads into a nice big area. The flowers are beautiful and very fragrant with a sweet smell! I always look forward to when they are blooming and have that wonderful fragrance! Charming and delightful! I love this variety!"

#12: Triandrus Daffodil (Narcissus 'Hawera')

@jmorth says, "A good selection to force over winter. At 5 to 6", its miniature size lends well to such a project. A much-flowering heirloom from pre-1928 New Zealand. A cute little, sweetly scented, marginally fertile daffodil (seed parent of Pearlie).
Said to resemble 'April Tears.'
Multiple award winner."

#13: Miniature Jonquilla Daffodil (Narcissus 'Pipit')

@Newyorkrita says, "Found this lovely daffodil at Brent & Becky's. Planted it last fall so it bloomed this spring. Pipit is a small thing, but so pretty with the white on yellow flowers."

#14: Large-Cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Pink Charm')

@jmorth says, "Pure white petals fronted by a vivid pink-banded cup distinguish this 14 to 16" mid-spring stunner."

#15: Paperwhites (Narcissus 'Ziva')

@jmorth says, "Forces well in water or soil. Very early, very easy. Strong musky fragrance. 2 to 3 weeks to bloom.
More light on them during forcing limits upward growth. Can be started as soon as received (no cold period needed)."

#16: Large-Cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Professor Einstein')

@critterologist says, "This variety caught our attention from across the daffodil pavilion at the Keukenhoff in 2009. Large blooms have good substance and are long lasting in the vase. I love including this one in bouquets, as the bright orange centers just show off really well against the usual daffodil white and yellow tones."

#17: Double Daffodil (Narcissus 'Erlicheer')

@jmorth says, "Good for gardens in the southern USA (Z6-9).
Excellent subject for winter forcing. Can be forced in water on pebbles or marbles (similar to its non-hardy Tazetta cousins the Paperwhites). Old House Gardens recommends using a deeper bowl than those used for paperwhites to allow greater root growth. These daffs need 2-3 weeks of below 50° but over freezing temps to promote root development before top growth commences. Keep cool for best blooming show.
* RHS description - 'Fls 6-12 or more per stem; perianth and other petaloid segments in four whorls, broadly ovate, yellowish white, a little concave, with midrib showing, overlapping; the outer whorl prominently mucronate, a little inflexed; the inner whorls only slightly mucronate, successively more strongly inflexed and more deeply overlapping; corona segments short, opposite and regularly arranged between the petaloid segments, very broad, brilliant greenish yellow, with rim wavy and entire.
Sometimes coded 4 W - W in U S A (as opposed to 4 W - Y).
aka - 'Cheerfulness#', 'Earlicheer', 'Earlichere', 'Gaiety#', 'Spring Cheer', 'Summer Cheer'.
**Origin of name (from DaffSeek) - 'According to daffodil historian John Hunter, of the National Daffodil Society of New Zealand, Alan Gibson of Marton, New Zealand, a major daffodil nurseryman in the 1920's, 30's, and 40's first noticed this flower in 1934 in the garden of Mr. Gardiner of Huntly, New Zealand. Alan Gibson obtained the bulb stock and was going to register it as 'Cheerfulness', this name was taken so was not accepted for the Register. Then Alan put forward the name of 'Gaiety', this name had also been used and again was rejected. World War II intervened and nothing was done until after it ended. When Ron Hyde returned from active service in Italy, he became Alan Gibson's foreman at the daffodil nursery and Ron registered the flower as 'Erlicheer' (Gardiner) Hyde, 1951.' http://daffseek.org/query/quer...
Pollen from used to produce 'Rachel's Magic Spell'.
One of my first subjects used to force when I began over-winter forcing years ago."

#18: Double Daffodil (Narcissus 'Ice King')

@jmorth says, "RHS description -'Perianth and other petaloid segments ivory white; the outer whorl broadly ovate, blunt or truncate, slightly mucronate, spreading or a little reflexed, overlapping one-third; the inner whorls shorter than the corona and clustered within it, of irregular shape, frilled and crumpled; corona deeply and irregularly split, spreading to half as long as the outer whorl of petaloid segments, sulphur yellow, with a broad band of white at rim, frilled, rim notched and minutely crenate. '
‘The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database’, available at www.rhs.org.uk
Sport of Ice Follies."

#19: Large-cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Fortissimo')

@jmorth says, "This entry has been described as 'gargantuan'. Considered an excellent garden plant and companion to other bulbs.

The International Daffodil Register & Classified List lists two cultivars so named. The other one is a registered Division 1 Trumpet daffodil w/ white petals and a soft yellow corona first flowering before 1934."

#20: Tazetta Daffodil (Narcissus 'Martinette')

@Newyorkrita says, "Martinette has multiple blooms on each stem. The flowers themselves are quite small but the effect of a grouping of them is very striking."

#21: Large-cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Salome')

@jmorth says, "Used in daffodil creation projects as cultivar is both seed and pollen fertile. Used 17 times as seed, 8 times as pollen parent. An extensive list of descendants may be viewed at this DaffSeek site (6-4-13) - http://daffseek.org/query/Desc...
Corona coloration somewhat dependent on climatic conditions.

The International Daffodil Register & Classified List at www.rhs.org.uk lists two entries for Salome. The other one delineates a registered division 3 small cupped white petal daffodil bred by The Brodie of Brodie of Scotland w/ a first flowering note of around 1909. Seed parent of this entry was ‘Princess Mary’ while pollen parent was Engleheart red Poeticus sdlg."

#22: Large-cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Avalon')

@jmorth says, "There are two entries for Avalon in the RHS's International Daffodil Register & Classified List.
The other entry is a registered division 3 (small cup) daffodil w/ 1st flowering note of pre-1913 from England's A M Wilson. This second entry is described as a late season bloomer w/ a white perianth and a shallow, lightly frilled orange red corona (3 W - OOR)."

#23: Jonquilla Daffodil (Narcissus 'Kokopelli')

@gwhizz says, "This Daffodil is no longer classed as a miniature and is now classified by 'ADF' as an intermediate!"

@jmorth added, "Resembles a 'Sundial' of heavier substance. A multiple award winning miniature.
RHS description -' Fls 2-4 per stem, rounded, 37 mm wide; perianth segments very broad in outline, blunt or squarish at apex, somewhat spathulate, brilliant greenish yellow 6A, with slight white mucro, spreading or reflexed, plane or sometimes concave, with margins sometimes incurling at apex, overlapping half; the inner segments not noticeably mucronate; corona bowl-shaped, lightly ribbed, opening with green at base, becoming self yellow, darker in tone than the perianth, mouth straight and slightly wavy, with rim entire. 2n=21.
‘The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database’, available at www.rhs.org.uk"

#24: Trumpet Daffodil (Narcissus 'Mount Hood')

@jmorth says, "A very successful white daffodil that has received a multitude of awards.
Described by the RHS as 'Fl. 102 mm wide, creamy white; perianth segments broadly ovate, blunt, only very slightly mucronate, inflexed, with margins incurling at apex, overlapping one-third to a half; the inner segments more narrowly ovate, more nearly acute, angled at shoulder, reflexed towards apex, with margins wavy; corona cylindrical, smooth, opening light greenish yellow 6D, mouth ribbed and expanded, with rim flanged and regularly notched and crenate. Mid-season. 2n=28,29'.
The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database’, available at www.rhs.org.uk
Good cultivar to force over winter. May subsequently be translocated to garden to bloom in following years."

#25: Large-cupped Daffodil (Narcissus 'Accent')

@jmorth says, "Upfacing daffodil w/ white petals fronted by a salmon-pink cup. American bred (Grant Mitsch) award winner. Vigorous grower, quite showy. Brent and Becky consider it one of the best landscape pinks. Good for forcing.

Extensively used in breeding programs - 45 times as a seed parent and 99 times as a pollen parent. List of descendants viewable here - http://daffseek.org/query/Desc...
DaffSeek 12-3-13."