Dazzling Daffodils

The name daffodil is derived from the Dutch name for the Asphodel, the death lily of Greek legend, by contraction of the article. Thus "de affodel" became "daffodil". The scientific name Narcissus relates to one of the flower-heroes of Greek mythology Narkissos, much like other flower names relate to similar figures like Hyakinthos and Adonis. This doesn't mean that the flower that now bears his name sprang up after his death (this is true of all of them), as asphodels and anemones are the more likely candidates for this.

The genus Narcissus is placed within the Amaryllis-family and consists of bulbous perennials that grow in meadows and woods in Europe, North Africa and West Asia. The species are mainly yellow and white with quite some variation in the size and colour of the trumpet or cup. In most species the tepals and the corona are more or less the same colour, where these differ the flower is all the more striking for it.

Unlike many people I really like yellow flowers, which makes me a fan of daffodils as well as they provide yellow so well! This ranges from the large yellow trumpets of Narcissus 'Dutch Master' (left) via the dazzling combination of orange and yellow in 'Jetfire' through to the greener tones of the curiously shaped double flowers of 'Rip van Winkle'.