Narcissus

What does Narcissus look like?

Narcissus plants grow from brown, ovoid bulbs and send up strap-shaped green or blue-green leaves. Their hollow, leafless stems carry one or more large, conspicuous flowers. Each flower has six petal-like tepals and a central cup or trumpet called the corona. Most blooms are yellow or white, but garden varieties can show orange, pink, or even green. Some species have a single flower per stem, while others form clusters. The flowers may be upright or nodding, and some are fragrant.

Where does Narcissus come from?

Narcissus originated in the Iberian Peninsula and nearby regions of southwest Europe during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. The genus spread naturally across southern Europe and North Africa, and was introduced to East Asia before the 10th century. Ancient civilizations knew narcissi for both their beauty and medicinal qualities. Carl Linnaeus formally described the genus in 1753. Over time, the plants have been widely grown and naturalized, with the Netherlands becoming a major centre for their cultivation by the 19th century.

When and how Narcissus blooms

Narcissus bulbs are dormant through summer and sprout in late winter or early spring. They grow best in meadows and woods, and are usually planted as bulbs in gardens. Each year, the bulb produces new leaves and a stem, which can bear a single flower or a cluster. After flowering, the leaves die back and the bulb rests until the next season. The plants are pollinated by insects and can multiply by bulb division.

How Narcissus is used

People grow narcissi for their bright spring flowers in gardens and as cut flowers. They are popular in wedding bouquets, home decoration, and as gifts. Some species have been used in traditional medicine, though all parts of the plant are toxic if eaten. Narcissus is the national flower of Wales and a symbol for cancer charities. Wild narcissi are celebrated in spring festivals in several countries.

Kinds of Narcissus

There are about 70–80 species and many thousands of cultivars of Narcissus. These include trumpet daffodils, jonquils, and poeticus types, each with different flower shapes, sizes, and colours. Some species, like N. tazetta, can bear many flowers per stem, while others, like N. poeticus, are known for their fragrance and distinctive red-edged corona. Gardeners and breeders have created a wide range of forms for ornamental use.

What Narcissus means

Narcissus has many meanings in different cultures, from death and rebirth to good fortune and hope. In Wales, the daffodil is a national emblem. The flower is linked to spring festivals and is used as a symbol by cancer charities. The name is often associated with the Greek myth of Narcissus, a youth who fell in love with his own reflection. Some species are threatened in the wild due to habitat loss.

Where Narcissus is used and seen

AbsoluteA concentrated aromatic plant extract used in perfumeryDandenong Ranges Botanic GardenA cool-climate garden in the hills near Melbourne, famous for rhododendrons and cherry blossomIndira Gandhi Memorial Tulip GardenAsia’s largest tulip garden on the slopes above Dal Lake in SrinagarKeukenhofA vast Dutch flower garden famous for its spring tulip displaysChabanaSimple flower arrangements for the Japanese tea ceremonyHistory of flower arrangementHow arranging flowers became an art across cultures and centuriesDunham Massey HallA historic English country house with formal gardens and a deer parkChapletA ring-shaped headpiece woven from flowers, leaves, or twigs

Traditions that use it

Where to see Narcissus

🇮🇳 Srinagar · Mar to AprTulip garden of SrinagarA hillside of tulips above Dal Lake, open for only a few weeks each spring. 🇯🇵 Hitachinaka · Apr to OctNemophila hill at Hitachi Seaside ParkA hill by the Pacific covered in small sky-blue flowers in spring and red kochia bushes in autumn. 🇦🇺 Canberra · Sep to OctFloriade in CanberraAustralia's big spring bulb show, a month of tulips and annuals in a lakeside park. 🇳🇿 Christchurch · Jan to DecChristchurch Botanic Gardens and Hagley ParkThe heart of New Zealand's Garden City, set in a loop of the Avon river. 🇳🇱 Lisse · Apr to MayThe bulb fields of the Bollenstreek in bloomLong stripes of hyacinth, daffodil and tulip on the sandy flats between Haarlem and Leiden, at their best in mid to late April. 🇳🇱 Amsterdam · All yearThe floating Bloemenmarkt on the SingelA row of flower stalls built on barges along Amsterdam's Singel canal, selling bulbs, seeds and cut tulips.

Questions people ask about Narcissus

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• BBC NEWS | England | SuffolkBBC, Article
• J Edgar Hoover as a visionary vigilante? DonThe Guardian, Article
• Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
• Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
• Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database

• Narcissus (plant) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data