Create Your Garden

Narcissus ‘Actaea’ (Poeticus Daffodil)

Daffodil 'Actaea', poeticus Daffodil 'Actaea', Spring Bulbs, Spring Flowers

AGM Award
Narcissus 'Actaea', Daffodil 'Actaea', Poeticus Daffodil 'Actaea', Spring Bulbs, Spring Flowers, late spring bulb, fragrant daffodil

Fragrant, multiple award-winner Narcissus ‘Actaea’ (Poet’s Daffodil) displays elegant, pure white flowers, up to 3 in. wide (8 cm), adorned with six wide petals and tiny, red-rimmed, golden-yellow cups. Blooming in mid to late spring, one flower per stem, the blossoms rise atop a clump of narrow, strap-shaped leaves. Great in the sunny border, this daffodil performs better in wet, poorly drained areas than most daffodils. Because of its sweet scent, it makes excellent cut flowers.

  • Rising to 18 in. tall (45 cm), this Daffodil will naturalize well and multiply year after year!
  • This perennial bulb is a recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society and the highly coveted Wister Award of the American Daffodil Society.
  • Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun or part shade. Keep the soil moist during the growing season, but reduce watering after foliage begins to die back. More tolerant of shade and heavy, damp soil than other daffodils.
  • A welcomed addition to beds and borders, containers, around shrubs, and under deciduous trees. Provide spectacular drifts of color when planted en masse or mixed with any other flowering bulbs. For best visual impact, plant in groups (at least 6 bulbs). Excellent as cut flowers.
  • Deer and rabbit resistant!
  • To be planted in fall
  • Ingestion may cause severe discomfort. Can also be a skin irritant.
  • Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
  • Poeticus Narcissus group includes large and powerfully fragrant daffodils with elegant and beautiful flowers, adorned with glistening white petals, very small red-rimmed yellow cups, and green eyes. Blooming in late spring, usually one flower per stem, these daffodils thrive in damp soil and look wonderful naturalized in tall grasses or next to a few deciduous trees.

Learn How To Plant, Grow and Care for Daffodils


Learn the ideal time, location, and method for planting daffodil bulbs to maximize growth. Explore post-bloom care tips and discover how to enjoy a vibrant display of daffodil flowers season after season.

Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 9
Heat Zones 1 - 9
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A2, A3
Plant Type Bulbs
Plant Family Amaryllidaceae
Genus Narcissus
Common names Daffodil
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 2" - 3" (5cm - 8cm)
Spacing 3" (8cm)
Depth 7" (18cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Narcissus (Daffodil)
Not sure which Narcissus (Daffodil) to pick?
Compare Now

Alternative Plants to Consider

Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ (Trumpet Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Ferris Wheel’ (Large Cupped Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘British Gamble’ (Trumpet Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Precocious’ (Large Cupped Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Orangery’ (Split-Corona Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Marieke’ (Trumpet Daffodil)

Recommended Companion Plants

Primula veris (Common Cowslip)
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Splendid Cornelia’ (Dutch Hyacinth)
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Jacket’ (Dutch Hyacinth)
Tulipa ‘Ollioules’ (Darwin Hybrid Tulip)
Tulipa ‘Apricot Parrot’ (Parrot Tulip)
Tulipa ‘Apricot Beauty’ (Single Early Tulip)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Brilliant Cherry Blossoms for my Spring Garden
Cherry Blossoms and Camassia for my Spring Garden
45 Yellow Flowers: Radiant Blooms for Every Season
Daffodil Meaning: What This Iconic Flower Represents Around the World
Are Daffodils Poisonous to Dogs?
Are Daffodils Poisonous to Cats?
How To Plant Daffodil Bulbs
When To Plant Daffodil Bulbs
Pure White Flowers for a Touch of Elegance in Your Garden
30 Best Spring Flowers to Spruce up Your Garden
March Birth Flower: What is my Birth Flower?
December Birth Flower: What is my Birth Flower?
Popular Flower Bulbs For Your Garden and Pots
Great Daffodils that Come Back Every Year
Brighten Up Your Garden From January Through May with Colorful Flower Bulbs
Daffodil Types
Flower Bulbs That Thrive Under Trees
Paperwhite Narcissus (Daffodil)
Great Daffodils for Southern Gardens
Most Fragrant Daffodils
Best Daffodils For Your Garden and Containers
Best Flower Bulbs For Your Rock Garden
Underplanting Roses with Low-Growing Spring Bulbs
Bulbs that return to the garden year after year!
Narcissi (Daffodils)
Tazetta Daffodils (Narcissus)
Poeticus Daffodils (Narcissus)
Cyclamineus Daffodils (Narcissus)
Double Daffodils (Narcissus)
Triandrus Daffodils (Narcissus)
Large-Cupped Daffodils (Narcissus)
Jonquilla Daffodils (Narcissus)
Narcissus bulbocodium (Hoop Petticoat Daffodil)
Trumpet Daffodils (Narcissus)
Small-Cupped Daffodils (Narcissus)
Why Spring is Really Three Seasons
Learn How To Plant, Grow and Care for Daffodils
Learn How To Plant And Care for Your Spring Flower Bulbs
Great Bulbs and Perennials as Companion Plants for Azaleas and Rhododendrons
12 Top Performing Spring Bulbs that Come Back Year After Year!
5 Daffodil Planting Tips
Lasagne Planting Method
Why Are Daffodils Wonderful Bulbs To Plant?
Planting Daffodils In Pots And Containers
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Buy Plants

Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 9
Heat Zones 1 - 9
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A2, A3
Plant Type Bulbs
Plant Family Amaryllidaceae
Genus Narcissus
Common names Daffodil
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 2" - 3" (5cm - 8cm)
Spacing 3" (8cm)
Depth 7" (18cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Narcissus (Daffodil)
Not sure which Narcissus (Daffodil) to pick?
Compare Now

Gardening Ideas

Plant Calculator

How many Narcissus ‘Actaea’ (Poeticus Daffodil) do I need for my garden?

Input your garden space dimensions

Your Shopping List

Plant Quantity
Narcissus ‘Actaea’ (Poeticus Daffodil) N/A Buy Plants

Please Login to Proceed

You Have Reached The Free Limit, Please Subscribe to Proceed

Subscribe to Gardenia

To create additional collections, you must be a paid member of Gardenia
  • Add as many plants as you wish
  • Create and save up to 25 garden collections
Become a Member

Plant Added Successfully

You have Reached Your Limit

To add more plants, you must be a paid member of our site Become a Member

Update Your Credit
Card Information

Cancel

Create a New Collection

Sign Up to Our Newsletter

    You have been subscribed successfully

    Join Gardenia.net

    Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

    Join now and start creating your dream garden!

    Join Gardenia.net

    Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

    Join now and start creating your dream garden!

    Find your Hardiness Zone

    Find your Heat Zone

    Find your Climate Zone