Over the years, daffodils and narcissus have become confused with each other. Even the most experienced gardeners can get muddled. Some varieties are sold as daffodils, some as narcissus. I’ve even been asked if narcissus are just smaller daffodils. Well, we’re here to set the record straight! Are daffodils the same as narcissus?

Regardless of what the tall tales suggest, daffodils and narcissus are one and the same. Narcissus is just the term for the genus, or the ‘group’, of plants. Both daffodils and ‘jonquils’ sit within the narcissus group. Essentially, daffodils are the common name for any plant within this group. This means that a narcissus is a daffodil, and a daffodil is a narcissus.

Within the narcissus group are ‘species’, also called divisions. They are...

The Daffodil Species’ Explained

Division 1 - Trumpet daffodils

Trumpet daffodils are large-cupped flowers. These are the most traditional in shape.

Division 2 - Large-cupped daffodils

Large-cupped daffodils are much like the trumpet varieties, especially their shape.

Division 3 - Small-cupped daffodils

Small-cupped daffodils are quite the opposite of large-cupped. They tend to have miniature coronas, usually in dark orange shades – but this can vary.

Division 4 - Double daffodils

Double daffodils provide frilly flowers in a range of gorgeous shades. Like double tulips, these blooms produce double rows of petals, producing a fluffy effect.

Division 5 - Triandrus daffodils

Triandrus daffodils, as you can probably tell from their name, each produces several blooms per stem, giving it a fuller overall effect.

Division 6 – Cyclamineus daffodils

Cyclamineus daffodils are miniature flowers, each producing brightly-coloured reflexed petals.

Division 7 – Jonquilla daffodils

Jonquilla daffodils can produce anywhere between one to eight flowers per stem. They tend to have a flared flower shape, many of them fragrant.

Division 8 – Tazetta daffodils

Similar to Jonquilla, Tazetta daffodils produce many flowers per stem. Tazettas, however, go big or go home, producing up to twenty flowers per stem. They’re unique in shape, too, producing tiny flowers in almost daisy shapes.

Division 9 – Poeticus daffodils

Poeticus daffodil flowers often have disc-shaped coronas, featuring splayed petals around the outside. Often fragrant.

Division 10 – Narcissus bulbocodium

Narcissus bulbocodium is another unique pick, producing cupped flowers with pointed anthers. Compact, but beautiful.

Division 11 – Split-corona daffodil

Just like their name suggests, these blooms have split coronas. This tends to be often more than half its length, producing fluffy and uniquely shaped flowers. These include varieties like collar daffodils and papillon daffodils.

Division 12 – Varieties that don’t sit within the above families.

Read More About Gorgeous Daffodils on Our Blog!

Want to learn more about daffodils? Our blog has a range of daffodil-themed articles for you to explore. For example, ‘Daffodils: A Bright and Colourful History’ discusses everything you need to know about daffodils, including the origin story of the name ‘narcissi’.

‘When is it too late to plant daffodils’ is also another top read, helpful for those who may have missed the deadline for the ‘ideal’ planting time.