Daffodil – March Birth Flower

Daffodils are the birth flower for March, and one of my favorite spring blooms.  Daffodils bloom as early as March or late as May depending on the cultivar. The flowers are available in shades of yellow, white, cream, peach, or pink.  I especially like the blooms with ruffled edges. The American Daffodil Society lists 13 divisions of daffodils based on the configuration of petals, trumpet (which is the center of the flower – or cup), and number of blooms per stem. 

Daffodil bulbs should be planted in fall when the soil is cool.   Stores tend to carry the bulbs in early fall but it’s a good idea to wait till the end of October or November to plant them.   Pick a place that gets full sun or part shade in well-drained soil. The bulbs won’t hold up well in soil that stays wet.  What I love most about these bulbs is that the squirrels, chipmunks, and critters in general leave them alone.

After 5 years or so the flowering may diminish.   When this happens, the bulbs can be dug up, divided, and replanted again.  Daffodils also make great cut flowers.  However, they shouldn’t be put in a vase with other flowers right away.  There is a sap that come from the daffodil stems that affects other flowers.  To deal with this keep the cut daffodils in their own vase for 24 hrs.  Then rinse the stems and they are safe to combine with other flowers.