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WHY DAFFODILS? Daffodils are permanent, increase eagerly, and are wonderfully deer-and-rodent-proof.
DAFFODIL HISTORY — Daffodils grew in ancient Greece and in English gardens by the 1200s. For more, click here.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS — Daffodils are easy, but hardiness varies more than most sources admit. To learn more, click here.
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Even Rarer Daffodils — Every year we get a handful of spectacular bulbs that are so rare we offer them Web-Only. For an alert the moment they go on sale, subscribe to our free, monthly email newsletter.
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Got snow? If you garden in zones 4a-6b(8bWC), this sampler of diverse, beautiful, time-tested WHITE daffodils is made for you. We’ll send you 3 bulbs each of 4 easy favorites – 3 ‘Broughshane’, 3 ‘Irene Copeland’, 3 pheasant’s eye, and 3 ‘Thalia’. All are easy to grow and sure to make your next spring lovelier than ever!
For 6, 9, or more of each variety, order additional samplers. Daffodil care.
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Snowy white, richly fragrant, and hardy to zone 3, double pheasant’s-eyes appear on almost every daffodil list from Clusius’s in 1601 to catalogs of the early 1900s. Although they can be erratic bloomers, in long, cool springs and well-watered soils they’re heavenly. N. poeticus ‘Plenus’, 4 W-W, 16-18”, zones 3a-6b(8bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Medieval troubadours sang of a frolicking April Queen who led young and old in a merry dance of spring. This brilliant beauty with its ruffled, flame-kissed cup dances for what seems like forever in the garden, lasting longer in bloom than any other daffodil we’ve ever grown. To the dance! 2 W-YYO, 16-18”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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“The very best of all double daffodils”? Yes, according to the great E.A. Bowles who, in 1914, raved about its “particularly graceful outline” and the “charming mingling of its silver and gold.” With long white petals thrusting out of a flurry of short, bright, yellow ones, ‘Argent’ is bursting with spring’s exuberance. From a cross of ‘Ornatus’ and super-strong ‘Van Sion’. 4 W-Y, 14-16”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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If daffodils were athletes, ‘Avalanche’ would be wearing Olympic gold. Extra vigorous, with 15-20 fragrant blossoms per stem, it’s so tough it was discovered in 1906 clinging to a sea-cliff in the Scilly Isles where tazettas had been grown by the millions in the 19th century. Superb in zones 6a-9b(11bWC), it’s also easy to force on pebbles for a winter treat. 8 W-Y, 16-18”, from Holland. Chart and care.
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Once celebrated as a larger, improved ‘Conspicuus’, this rare beauty features velvety primrose petals and an orange-kissed cup. After a lifetime of farming daffodils – and breeding award-winning new ones – our friend Ron Scamp of Cornwall ranks it as one of his three favorite heirlooms. By the good Rev. Engleheart, father of ‘Beersheba’, ‘White Lady’, and other enduring classics, 3 Y-YYO, 16-18”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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“This graceful beauty from the Arts-and-Crafts era has a special gift. Although many newer daffodils are much more “brilliant,” there’s something uncannily luminous about its sulphur-yellow petals and warm gold cup that will draw your eye from across the garden. It throws back its petals ever so slightly, too, as if to say exuberantly, “Ahhhh, spring!” 3 Y-YYO, 21-23”, zones 5a-8a(10aWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Named for the tiny Irish hometown of its creator Guy Wilson – the 20th century’s grand master of white daffodils – beefy ‘Broughshane’ features creamy white petals and a deeply ruffled trumpet of white with hints of amber, all set off by handsome, blue-green, almost leek-like foliage. 1 W-W, 18-20”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This charming name gets mistakenly applied to all sorts of double yellow daffodils, so let the buyer beware. Ours is the authentic Southern heirloom – hardy north to zone 5 – that’s been a folk favorite and passalong plant for centuries. Its soft yellow petals are interspersed with shorter ones of gold to almost orange, and even snooty William Robinson in The English Flower Garden praised it as “handsome and abundant.” Aka N. incomparabilis aurantius plenus, 4 Y-Y, 16-18”, zones 5b-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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“There is nothing better,” wrote the immortal Henry Mitchell, “still unsurpassed for planting in quantity.” Lightly scented of vanilla, ‘Carlton’ increases vigorously from North Dakota to Florida and beyond – and it’s frugally priced! 2 Y-Y, 18-20”, zones 3a-9a(11bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Delicate looking but strong-growing, this graceful flower – long known as ‘Barrii Conspicuus’ – was one of the landmark achievements of the Victorian daffodil renaissance. A clump in bloom, with its fluttering petals and crinkled, orange-rimmed cup, may well remind you of a host of antique butterflies. Learn more. 3 Y-YYO, 14-16”, zones 4a-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This refined double pheasant’s-eye was first found amid thousands of ‘Ornatus’ forced under glass and cut for the London market. Since there was no way to tell which bulb it came from, all were replanted outdoors – and two years later this jewel reappeared. 4 W-W, 21-23”, zones 5a-7a(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Celebrating the Scottish physician and microbiologist whose discovery of penicillin brought the first life-saving antibiotic to the world, this large-cupped classic has rounded white petals surrounding a Ballet Folklorico skirt of layers upon layers of bright orange frills and ruffles. 2 W-O, mid-late blooming, 16-20”, zones 5a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart, care, and learn more.
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With dozens of petals neatly nested together as if in a perfect miniature rose – and just as fragrant – this tough little double daffodil has been grown and loved for over 400 years. 4 Y-Y, 10-12”, zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Elegant enough for the runway, luminous ‘Double Fashion’ shows off swirls of soft yellow petals with stunning orange - or red-orange! - tufts interwoven throughout their frilly centers. Strong stems hold the gorgeous flowers high. 4 Y-O, midseason blooming, 18-20”, zones 4b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Nameless but thriving, ‘Early Pearl’ was rediscovered in old gardens of the Southeast’s “Spanish Moss Belt.” Early to bloom and best where summers are hot, it has starry white petals, tiny citron cups that mature to white, and a fresher scent than most tazettas. Experts believe it dates to the late 1800s. 8 W-Y, 14-16”, zones 8a-9b(11bWC), big, fat California bulbs. Chart and care.
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Last offered in 2016. Any Top Ten list of history’s greatest daffodils would have to include this legendary trumpet. Once the world’s best-known and best-loved, it’s been “commercially extinct” for decades, preserved by just a handful of collectors — and we’re thrilled to have enough to offer it. With a deep gold trumpet and a distinctive wiggle to its softer yellow petals, it’s a daffodil for the ages. 1 Y-Y, 18-20”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Ohio. Chart and care.
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Last offered in 2012. One of the most popular daffodils of all time, this landmark beauty helped spark the modern world’s love affair with daffodils when it was introduced alongside ‘Emperor’ just after the Civil War. With pure white petals and a slender yellow trumpet, it’s dewy fresh and eternally regal. Our 2009 Bulb of the Year, 1 W-Y, 18-20”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), from Ohio. Chart and care.
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Great outside where winters aren’t too cold (zone 6 and warmer), double “Early Cheer” is also our favorite daffodil for winter forcing indoors on pebbles and water. (We’ll send easy directions, or see our Forcing page.) It blooms in frothy clusters of 15-20 richly fragrant florets of creamy, old-lace white flecked with gold. 4 W-Y, 14-16”, zones 6a-9b(11bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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With a fiery heart and long, creamy-white petals, ‘Firebrand’ lights up the spring garden like a shooting star. “Remarkable for the brilliant coloring of the prettily fluted cup,” wrote A.M. Kirby in 1907, and though the benchmarks for brilliance have changed since then, it’s still a graceful and remarkably beautiful flower. 3 WWY-R, 18-20”, early-mid, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Free-flowering and frothy, large double ‘Flower Drift’ has several layers of creamy-white petals surrounding a vibrant explosion of lemon and tangerine frills. Lovely in a cluster, it’s an excellent perennializer, possibly indeed becoming a striking drift in future years. 4W-YYO, midseason blooming, 14-20”, zones 4b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Congratulations to this ageless beauty for winning the 2016 Wister Award, the ADS’s highest honor for garden daffodils! With clustered florets almost twice the size of most poetazes, and sun-proof, juicy orange cups that stay vibrant day after day, it’s a late-season pick-me-up you’ll look forward to spring after spring. 8 W-O, 18-20”, zones 5b-8b(10bWC), from Holland. See all of our Wister Award-winners. Chart and care.
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Named for the Roman poet who celebrated country life and carpe diem, ‘Horace’ was once so popular that daffodil breeder P.D. Williams ranked it with the great ‘King Alfred’ as one of the two “outstanding successes” of its era. It’s another enduring gift to gardeners from the immortal George Engleheart, and truly a landmark daffodil. 9 W-GOR, 18-20”, zones 4a-7a(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Lemon chiffon pie? The fresh, light color of this rare double is hard to describe but refreshingly different from the bright yellows and golds of most daffodils. It’s distinct in shape, too, a fluffy poof of a flower, relaxed yet never sloppy. Prepare to meet a real individual! 4 Y-Y, 16-18”, z. 4b-7b(9bWC), Holland. Chart and care.
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‘Insulinde’ somehow manages to be both graceful and exuberant at the same time. Framed by a row or two of creamy white outer petals, its center is a throng of luminous orange petalets spiked with random flares of cream. Bred by the illustrious Mrs. Backhouse (of daffodil and lily fame), it’s named for a wildly popular Victorian novel set in Indonesia. 4 W-O, 21-23”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This is the neatest double daffodil we’ve ever seen. With creamy white petals arranged just so and trimmed with bits of pale primrose yellow, it would look perfect on an Edwardian lady’s Easter bonnet. For a photo of the real Irene and her sister Mary along with their fascinating story as told to us by Irene’s daughter, click here. 4 W-Y, 16-18”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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The Royal Horticultural Society and our crew here at OHG agree – this is a wonderful little daffodil. Winner of the RHS AGM, it’s a strong grower with flowers that open white and yellow, mature to almost pure white, and look like miniature shooting stars. Try it, as our friend John Shipton recommends, paired with blue Scilla siberica or grape hyacinths. 6 W-W, early-mid, 12-14”, zones 5a-8a(10aWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This glorious jonquil comes to us from Grant Mitsch, America’s greatest daffodil breeder, and is - with ‘Vireo’ - part of his Bird Series from the middle of the last century. As many as three golden flowers flock on a stem, each highlighted by a bright tangerine flared cup. A sweet fragrance that wafts on spring breezes delights the nose as much as the colors delight the eye. 7 Y-O, midseason-late blooming, 14-18", zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Sweetly-scented and praised for her “gaiety” by Vita Sackville-West in 1958. ‘La Riante’ (French for ‘laughing girl) sparkles in the garden. The pure-white perianth surrounds a small bright cup which begins crimson or scarlet and ages to orange-red (and may burn in bright sun.) 3 W-YOO, early-midseason blooming, 14-20”, zones 5a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart, care, and learn more.
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Our good customer Catherine Yaden of Charleston reports that six of our ‘LK’ produced “over 80 flowers on multiple stems — amazing!” A vigorous, cluster-flowered beauty, it has creamy petals, little golden yellow-orange cups, and a superb fragrance. It’s also one of the oldest poetazes, a group launched in 1890 by crossing N. poeticus and N. tazetta. 8 W-Y, 16-18”, zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Cute name, very cute flower. From the wild N. cyclamineus, it’s a bright yellow pixie with a long, fluted, “stove-pipe” trumpet and petals that sweep back as if it were riding a broomstick. Vigorous, early-blooming, and a terrific perennializer, it has inexplicably all but disappeared from US catalogs. 6Y-Y, 10-12 inches, early-mid season, zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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So many of you asked for this sweet-scented, apricot beauty that we kept knocking on doors until we found the one last Dutch farmer growing it. Its form can be unruly, but its apricot shading and light, enchanting perfume have won it many fans. Its name honors the remarkable wife of William the Silent. 2 W-YYP, 18-20”, zones 4a-8a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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We’re big fans of this vibrant Victorian that was born in Ireland and named for the Archangel himself. Look with your imagination and you’ll see a reflection of heavenly wings in its long white petals, and a hint of what’s to come in its fiery cup. 2 W-YOO, 16-18”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Celebrated in gardens for over 400 years, ‘Maximus’ or ‘Trumpet Major’ is an especially fine form of N. hispanicus with a wild, primeval look. Its trumpet is boldly scalloped and flared, its petals make a dramatic star, and it lifts up its face as if worshipping the sun. It’s been treasured by Elizabethan, Victorian, and Arts-and-Crafts gardeners alike – and now it’s your turn! 1 Y-Y, 14-16”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Nurseryman and writer Michael Jefferson-Brown calls this Wister-Award winner “a polished jewel…Faultless pure white perianths surround flat eyes of pale citron immaculately edged with dark red.” Wow! We find it to be brilliant, glorious, and magical - the perfect variety to brighten your spring border. 3 W-YYR, early to midseason blooming, 14-18”, zones 4b-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Swans-Neck, Goose-Neck, Silver Bells – if you’re looking for that elusive Southern heirloom, this form of the wild N. moschatus may not be 100% identical but probably even your granny couldn’t tell them apart. It’s short and sweet, with creamy white blooms that nod demurely, the epitome of spring. Aka N. cernuus, 13 W-W, 10-12”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart, care, and learn more.
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This refined, up-town cousin of everybody’s favorite ‘Thalia’ sets the hearts of daffodil connoisseurs aflutter. It’s sublimely graceful, with smoother, thicker, more shapely petals of a white that expert Michael Jefferson-Brown calls “dazzling in its purity.” 5 W-W, 18-20”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Of J. Gerritsen’s 200 or so named varieties, this stunning split-cup is one of the best, with a bright yellow-orange cup that lies flat - and contrasts beautifully - with the white outer petals. The flowers are large, up-facing, and glorious – and ‘Orangery’, despite its showy appearance, naturalizes well. 11a W-O, midseason blooming, 14-18”, zones 4a-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This is not your usual pheasant’s-eye! It’s the earliest blooming of that season-ending clan, two weeks ahead of the traditional pheasant’s-eye, N. p. recurvus (below). And though it’s hardy to -15° F, it also thrives in Southern heat that’s often death to its kin. With snowy white petals, a small yellow eye ringed with red-orange, and spicy fragrance. 9 W-YYR, 16-18”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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‘Papillon Blanc’ (‘White Butterfly’ in French) has delighted discerning gardeners for over half a century. A broad pure-white perianth surrounds a small, ruffled cup that begins light green/primrose and matures to ivory, and P. de Jager called this charmer “one of the finest” and “a perfect flower of great durability”. 11b W-W, midseason-late blooming, 16-18”, zones 5b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Stylish and chic ‘Parisienne’ shows off white stars with glowing yellow-orange cups, split and frilled to lie flush against the perianth. Tall, strong stems make this an excellent cut flower, and she’s every bit as sophisticated in the garden border. Très magnifique! 11a W-O, midseason-late blooming, 18-24”, zones 4a-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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The poet’s narcissus grows wild in alpine meadows from Spain into the Balkans and is pictured in English herbals of the early 1600s. This form is the oldest available and, though it dates officially to 1831, it’s indistinguishable from those in colonial gardens. It’s famously fragrant and late-blooming, with sparkling white petals that arch back from a “green eye and crimson-fringed crown” (William Robinson). Wister Award winner (see more), 13 W-YYR, 12-14”, zones 4a-6b(8bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Named for the British racehorse that won both the Epsom Derby and Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1953, this striking daffodil is a champion in its own right! Its long-lasting blossoms have bright yellow petals and serrated yellow-orange cups rimmed with a stunning red-orange band. Bred by the great J. Lionel Richardson of Ireland who was renowned for the depth of color of his prize-winning varieties. 2 Y-YYO, midseason blooming, over 24”, zones 5b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Although it’s disappearing from the marketplace, this sparkling white daffodil is just too good to let go. Its broad white petals surround a tiny, ruffled cup that opens citron yellow and matures to pure white with a cool glimmer of spring green deep in the center. 3 W-W, mid-late blooming, 14-18”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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With her elegant, snow-white petals and fluted lemon cup, this ‘Queen’ is as cool as a frosty glass of lemonade. “Certainly one of the most beautiful of all daffodils,” the great Pennsylvania plantsman John Wister wrote in 1930, and she’s still winning blue ribbons in daffodil shows all across the country today! 3 W-Y, 16-18”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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‘Rip’ is a definite cutie. Early and dwarf, its spiky little blooms look like tiny yellow suns, cactus dahlias, sea anemones, or even mop-headed elves – depending on your imagination. It’s also cheap and wonderfully easy to force. 4 Y-Y, 6-8”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This RHS Award of Garden Merit winner caused a sensation when it was first introduced, and although increasingly hard to find, it’s still a remarkably beautiful daffodil. More richly colored than our older “pinks,” it has sparkling white petals and a short, lobed cup that opens peach-to-coral and gets rosier every day. 2 W-P, late-mid, 16-20”, zones 4a-8a(10aWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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True stock! As fragrant as any rose, this elegant, double pheasant’s-eye was bred by Guy Wilson, the shy Irish fellow who gave the world ‘Broughshane’ and dozens of other impeccable daffodils. With blowsy whorls of ivory white petals it looks like an old-fashioned rose, too. Best in cool, moist spots with well-drained soil. 4 W-W, 16-18”, zones 4a-6b(8bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Bred by R O Backhouse, best known for the variety he named after his wife, this little daffodil is unique in form while combining the ivory white and rosy-peach colors he introduced to commerce. Plant this novelty at the front of the border to best appreciate its long, slender trumpet bursting from the starry white perianth. 1 W-P, under 12”, zones 4b-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Named for a prize-winning “red” stallion raced back then by the Aga Khan, this bright, cheerful flower was one of the first with a truly orange, sun-proof cup. We managed to import a few bulbs of it from Australia in the 1990s and slowly built up stock. In other words, if you want it, you ’d be wise to order now! 2 Y-O, zones 5a-7b(8bWC), early-mid season, 18-20” from Holland. Chart and care.
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Prettier than any gull we’ve ever seen, this free-flowering Victorian classic has pristine white petals that recall wings, sails, or the sweeping arms of a windmill. Its short canary cup is fleetingly edged with apricot. For best color, protect from full sun. 3 W-Y, 14-18”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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True stock! After decades of confusion by US experts (including us), here at last is the true ‘Sir Watkin’. One of the most celebrated daffodils of all time, “The Welsh Peerless” has soft yellow petals that arch forward gracefully around a fluted, golden cup. Almost 70 years after it first rocked the garden world, expert John Wister wrote that it “holds its place well among the best of fine daffodils, and proves once more that we cannot wholly cast aside old favorites.” 2 Y-Y, 16-18”, 5a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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For a daffodil this new to win a place in our catalog, it has to be something special, and ‘Stainless’ is. One of the last introductions of the great Guy Wilson, the master of white daffodils, it’s so bright and pure and cool – from the tips of its velvety-smooth petals to the edge of its neatly fluted cup – that it’s long been praised as “whiter than white.” 2 W-W, late-mid season, 18-20”, zones 4a-8a(10aWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Bred by Devonshire nurseryman E.B. Champernowne, the man who gave the world ‘Red Devon’, this much rarer daffodil survives from the Golden Age of pheasant’s-eyes. We have just 100 bulbs this year from one of Holland’s greatest daffodil collectors, and it could be years before he has any more to share with us, so get it while you can! 9 W-YYR, late blooming, 14-16”, zones 4a-7a(9bWC). Chart and care.
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Praised as “one of the most perfect of all daffodils” by expert Michael Jefferson-Brown, and famed for its incredible vigor, this little jonquil has won two of the garden world’s highest honors, the ADS Wister Award and the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Its unusual, circular shape makes it a real eye-catcher in the garden, and like all jonquils it’s fragrant! By Alec Gray, 7 Y-Y, 8-12”, late, zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. See all of our
Wister Award-winners. Chart and care.
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From the era of the Chordettes' "Mr. Sandman" and The Dells' "Oh What A Night" comes this cheerful mid-century beauty. A ring of creamy white petals frames the ruffled lemon-yellow cup edged with gold – which on closer look is banded with a reprise of the outer white! With its large blossoms on sturdy stems, ‘Sweeet Harmony’ will indeed add lovely notes to your spring symphony. 2 W-WWY, 14-18”, zones 4b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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One of the first winners of the ADS’s top honor, the Wister Award, ‘Sweetness’ has been called “the best daffodil for the South” – and it’s just as good north through zone 6. It’s vigorous and refined, with a fluted cup, thick, weather-proof petals, and the fragrance of its jonquil ancestors. 7 Y-Y, 16-18”, zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. See all of our Wister Award-winners. Chart and care.
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Orchids or doves? With 2-3 nodding flowers per stem and ivory petals that swoop dramatically back from the cup, ‘Thalia’ may well remind you of both. It’s a strong, dependable grower North and South, the oldest garden form of the wild N. triandrus, and the 2013 winner of the ADS’s Wister Award! 5 W-W, 14-16”, zones 4a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. See all of our
Wister Award-winners. Chart, care, and learn more.
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This sweet little teddy bear of a daffodil has grown wild for centuries on the coast of Wales, and its early blooms were once rushed to London to be sold at Covent Garden. Its trumpet is shorter than most wild daffodils (see Lent lily), adding to its pudgy charm. 2015 Wister Award winner (see more), 13 Y-Y, 8-10”, zones 5a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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“Generally knowne everywhere,” wrote the great herbalist John Gerard in 1597 about this fragrant wildflower he called Primrose Peerless. Today its many folk names which include Loving Couples, Cemetery Ladies, and April Beauty attest to its wide-spread popularity and endurance.With two blooms per stem, white with tiny citron cups, it’s also wonderfully late-blooming. Formerly N. biflorus, 13 W-Y, 12-14”, zones 6a-8b(10bWC), from Texas. Chart and care.
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This Jazz Age classic has long, rippling petals of primrose-to-cream flaring jauntily out of a ruffled center of orange and gold. Hardy north through zone 5, it’s especially well-loved in the South because, unlike many other doubles, it opens reliably even there. 4 Y-O, mid-season, 18-20”, zones 5a-8b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Aka ‘Telamonius Plenus’, this ancient flower is “the most important of all doubles” (A.M. Kirby, 1907). It’s also the double most often found at old homesites, multiplying without care. And it’s the most confusing. In its first year or a perfect spot, its doubling is neatly contained within the trumpet. Most years, though, it all explodes into a wild froth of green and gold. See what we mean and learn more here. 4 Y-Y, 14-16”, zones 4a-8a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This beauty is the legacy of the famous Irish daffodil-breeder J. Lionel Richardson who over his lifetime developed hundreds of varieties, including many doubles, from a chance open-pollinated seed of ‘Mary Copeland’. Introduced soon after his death, ‘Westward’ glistens with a double layer of fresh white petals and a frothy central swirl of sunny yellow. Its stiff stems and well-formed flowers on strong necks have made it a winning show variety as well as a garden favorite. 4 W-Y, midseason-late blooming, 10-16”, zones 4b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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This “regal beauty” and “good doer” is “the daffodil I now prefer to all others” – so wrote Mrs. Francis King in 1921, and since she was a founder of the Garden Club of America and author of nine popular garden books, that’s high praise indeed. With sparkling petals and a ruffled yellow cup, ‘White Lady’ is old-fashioned but full of life. 3 W-Y, 16-18”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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With 2-3 graceful blossoms on a stem, ‘White Marvel’ looks like a double version of our long-time favorite ‘Thalia’. A single layer of rich white petals sets off a central tightly-frilled petticoat of a cup for a uniquely beautiful - even marvelous! - addition to the spring garden. 4 W-W, midseason-late blooming, 12-14", zones 4b-7b(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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The brilliant color of this groundbreaking daffodil so dazzled the world when it was first introduced that three bulbs sold for £100 – the equivalent today of over $12,000. Its petals are notoriously unruly, but as William Arnold wrote in 1921, “though a somewhat loosely put together flower, [it] is nevertheless very handsome.” Bred by the illustrious Rev. Engleheart, it’s well named for the youngest of Robin Hood’s Merry Men who is often depicted wearing red silk. 2 W-O, 21-23”, late-mid season, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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Short and sweet, this quaint little elf dates back to the dawn of the Victorian daffodil renaissance. Its nodding trumpet and twisted petals are a soft, silvery yellow that seems to be the embodiment of spring sunshine. As an added treat for inquiring noses, it has a light cowslip fragrance. 1 W-W, 6-8”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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“So small, so pure,” says bulb maven Anna Pavord, you might think it’s “at heart a snowdrop but was given the wrong clothes.” Just six inches tall and frosty white, it was bred from a wild species that grows high in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and named for the dwarf knight in a series of novels set amid the intrigue of Tudor England. (Game of Thrones, anyone?) Best in acid to neutral soils, 3 W-W, late-mid, 5-7”, zones 6a-8a(10bWC), from Holland. Chart and care.
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With propeller-like petals and a frilled cup dipped in orange, this late Victorian treasure outshines its sibling ‘Seagull’ and was proudly described by the immortal Rev. Engleheart as “one of my finest and most brilliantly colored” creations. 3 W-YYO, late-mid, 18-20”, zones 4a-8a(10bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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This immaculate classic with its slender trumpet is early-blooming, free-flowering, quick to increase, and a lovely, warm ivory. Introduced by the good Rev. Engleheart when he was in his 70s, it won high praise from Guy Wilson, the century’s greatest daffodil breeder, as “a flower of arresting beauty and outstanding purity.” 1 W-W, 14-16”, zones 4a-8a(10bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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With its neatly layered petals of pale, dreamy, chiffon-yellow petals, this rare double daffodil really does look something like a camellia. It’s a sport of the legendary ‘Emperor’ and especially beautiful up close — which led connoisseur Michael Jefferson-Brown to name it one of the fifteen best daffodils for flower arrangers. 4 Y-Y, 18-20”, zones 5a-7b(9bWC), Holland.
Chart and care.
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With ruffled disks of orange-gold set against smooth, elegantly rounded petals of cream, this classic beauty is named for the fabulously wealthy King Croesus of Lydia who minted the world’s first coins. Plant it and you’ll be rich in beauty for years to come! 2 Y-YYO, 17-19”, zones 4a-7b(10bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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The rich color and flair of ‘Dick Wellband’ caused a sensation when it was first introduced – in a lavish display in front of yards and yards of draped black velvet – at the 1921 New York International Flower Show. Today it’s still as striking, growing strong across the country and especially well-loved in the South. 2 W-O, 16-20”, zones 5b-8a(10bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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Introduced at the height of the Roaring Twenties, this free-spirited flower combines a dozen long, wavy outer petals with a crinkled center of orange and gold. Pronounced fə də JWAH, it was bred by the master of doubles, William Copeland, and named for a celebratory rifle salute known as the “fire of joy.” 4 W-O, 18-20”, early-mid season, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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True stock! You may think you’ve grown this landmark daffodil, but since the 1950s most bulbs sold in the US as ‘King Alfred’ have been newer, over-sized impostors that were easier to mass-produce in the mild, moist Dutch climate. The real ‘King’ is actually so rare today that we can’t offer it every year, but we have a small supply this fall from Holland’s greatest daffodil collector — and it’s gold, bold, and everything a world famous icon should be. 1 Y-Y, 21-23", zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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This extra-rare, white-on-white beauty completes the Copeland Family Double-Daffodil Trifecta. Mrs. Copeland was the mother of the lovely Irene and Mary Copeland, and the wife of the greatest breeder of double daffodils the world has ever known. (Read the family’s story here.) We imported a few bulbs of ‘Mrs. Copeland’ from Australia many years ago, and ever since then we’ve been looking forward to this beautiful mother and child reunion. 4 W-W, early-mid season, 18-20”, zones 4a-7b(9bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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Extra-early and extra-beautiful, this wildflowery trumpet daffodil is a bicolor N. pseudonarcissus (see Lent lily). Millions were once harvested for bouquets sold in London’s Covent Garden, and it’s great for naturalizing. As daffodil connoisseur Alec Gray wrote in 1955, “a drift of it is a thing of... lightness and grace.” 1 W-Y, 14-16”, zones 5a-7a(10bWC), from Holland.
Chart and care.
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Introduced 100 years ago during the Golden Age of Aviation, ‘Aerolite’ shines with a bright yellow cup framed by a lighter primrose perianth. “Most desirable for cut flowers,” wrote Cecil Solly in 1946, and its bloom season pairs it nicely with hyacinths. A popular variety for many decades, now very rare, which we are able to offer thanks to the efforts of a single Midwestern collector! 2 Y-Y (Large-Cup), early-midseason, 14-16”, zones 4b-7b(9bWC), from Ohio.
Last offered in 2023. If you’d like to be notified when it’s back in stock, click to sign up for an email alert.
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This legendary, 18th-century tazetta is one of our most sought-after treasures. “Certainly no finer flowering bulbs are available for Southerners,” Ogden writes in Garden Bulbs for the South. “They are by far the most vigorous, persistent, and floriferous” narcissus in zones 8a-9b(11bWC). If you garden there, you want this jewel! Aka ‘Grand Primo Citroniere’, 8 W-Y,
14-16”, fat, fresh California-grown bulbs.
Last offered in 2023. If you’d like to be notified when it’s back in stock, click to sign up for an email alert.
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Often the first tazetta to bloom in the new year, this sturdy pass-along plant has narrow, pointed petals that make its clustered blooms look like fistfuls of stars. As Texas bulb expert Thad Howard wrote, it’s “enduring, sweet-scented” and “deserves more respect and popularity.” 8 W-Y, 20”, zones 8a-9b(10bWC), from California.
Last offered in 2023. If you’d like to be notified when it’s back in stock, click to sign up for an email alert.
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Known for decades as THE pink daffodil, ‘Mrs. R.O. Backhouse’ is one of the landmark bulbs of the 20th century. She’s more truly ivory and apricot, but so beautiful – a veritable sunrise for those who watch closely – that most modern pinks just can’t compare. 2 W-P, 16-18”, zones 4a-8a(10bWC), from Ohio.
Last offered in 2023. If you’d like to be notified when it’s back in stock, click to sign up for an email alert.
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Winner of the Wister Award, the ADS’s highest honor, this Cornish beauty blooms vigorously from Canada to the Gulf. As Bill Finch of The Mobile Press-Register says, it’s “perfectly sculpted,” and with its slender proportions it always seems to blend in beautifully. 2 Y-Y, 16-18”, zones 4b-9a(11bWC), from Ohio.
Last offered in 2023. If you’d like to be notified when it’s back in stock, click to sign up for an email alert.
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WHY GROW DAFFODILS? Daffodils are permanent, increase eagerly, and are wonderfully deer-and-rodent-proof.
HISTORY — Native mainly to the Mediterranean, narcissus were grown by the Egyptians and Greeks and brought into English gardens by the 1200s. While thousands of new tulips and hyacinths were being developed, the number of daffodils grew slowly. Maybe 50 date to before 1700, another 350 by 1860. But then a couple of British enthusiasts set to work and from 1860 to 1900 roughly 1000 new varieties were introduced. By 1930 there were another 6000, making the early 20th century a Golden Age. Only a fraction survive today.
HEAT-LOVING DAFFODILS — If you garden where winters are warm, see our “Daffodils for the South and Warm West” for expert guidance.
DAFFODILS AS CUT FLOWERS — Did you know daffodils will last much longer in bouquets if you cut them at the right stage and let their gooey sap drain out before adding them to the vase? To learn more, see our Bulbs as Cut Flowers page.
DAFFODIL ARCHIVES — For customer tips and raves, the stories behind the bulbs, links and books, history, news, and more, see our Daffodil Newsletter Archives.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS — Though many sources say they’ll ALL thrive from zones 3 through 8, hardiness really varies depending on their ancestry. And many do well in zones 9 and 10 of the West Coast. Our zone recommendations will guide you. Daffodils like well-drained (but not bone-dry) soil and full sun, but they adapt to light shade pretty well. In the South they welcome afternoon shade and dry soil in summer. Bulb size varies widely, with and heirloom bulbs often being smaller. We always get the largest bulbs we can.
PLANTING & CARE — Plant in mid-fall when soil cools; earlier is better than later. If necessary, store till then in open bags in a cool, dry spot.
Choose a sunny to lightly shaded site. Full sun is best in the North, but the further South you garden, the more shade you can give them.
Plant in well-drained soil. Avoid or improve clay soil, or grow in raised beds. Dig down three times the height of the bulbs, about 6-8 inches for standard varieties, 4-6 for smaller varieties such as ‘W.P. Milner’, and plant with the narrow ends up, about 6 inches apart from center to center (or closer for a lush look). For each bulb scratch a tablespoon of bulb fertilizer into the surface (slow-release 10-10-10 is ideal). Water, and keep moist through the fall while the bulbs are growing new roots, through the winter if the soil doesn’t freeze, and through the spring at least till blooming is finished.
Re-fertilize lightly every spring and fall. After bloom, remove the spent blossoms but allow foliage to yellow completely (to feed the bulbs for next year’s bloom) before removing it. IN THE SOUTH, keep soil dry when soil warms up after blooming and through the summer to avoid disease problems.
Deer, rodents, and most other pests leave daffodils alone, but if some of yours mysteriously fail to appear in the spring, visit our Daffodil Bulb Fly page to learn about the likely culprit.
With good care daffodils will multiply, making an increasingly beautiful display every year. When decreased bloom indicates overcrowding, dig and divide after foliage yellows.
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