Why Are Daffodils Wonderful Bulbs To Plant?

Daffodils join tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses to make up the most important of the spring-flowering bulbous, cormous, and tuberous plants. They are used in abundance in gardens for many reasons.

Why are daffodils wonderful bulbs to plant?

• Most daffodils are winter hardy and can be grown in USDA Zones 3-9 with the exception of the Tazetta daffodils. Most Tazetta daffodils are not hardy to the more northern climates but are terrific performers in USDA Zones 5-9. Included in this group are the world-famous but tender paperwhites which can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 8-11.
• Most daffodils naturalize easily and come back year after year. The great advantage to using daffodils is that they actually behave as perennial plants in the garden and gently multiply where happy, creating lovely drifts of color.
• The various colors, flower shapes, and sizes available also play a role in their popularity. The most important colors are yellow, white, orange-red, orange, and salmon. Many cultivars display marked or subtle differences in color between the corona (trumpet or cup) and the perianth (petals).
• In addition to their garden uses, daffodils are also very important as cut flowers and even have some degree of importance as container plants.
• Another added attraction is that many daffodil cultivars are sweetly-scented.
• Daffodils are also deer or rodent-resistant.
• Daffodils make gardening easy. Once planted, there is nothing left to do: these bulbs can stay right where they are and produce flowers year after year. What could be better? Well, you even get more flowers year after year! This is because bulbs produce new little bulbs, and many even produce seeds. Little yearly maintenance is required. After flowers fade, snap them off to prevent seed set (unless desired for naturalizing), but do not remove the foliage until it withers.

Under the charm of the daffodils? Take a look at some of our favorites and review our plant combinations to get fabulous ideas for your garden!