Daffodil 'Jetfire'

Sun

Full sun or partial shade; beneath deciduous trees, provide good light while the leaves are growing.

Water

Keep moderately moist during active growth and flowering. Once the leaves die back, little extra water is needed; avoid persistently wet soil.

Soil

Well-drained loam, sandy loam or improved clay. Tolerates a broad range of soil pH but dislikes waterlogged ground.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

0.3-0.5 ft (0.1-0.15 m) per small clump, increasing slowly through offsets

Flowers

Early to mid-spring; yellow, strongly swept-back petals surround a narrow orange trumpet, usually with one flower per stem.

Foliage

Narrow, upright to arching green leaves appear in late winter or spring and die back after flowering.

Growth

Moderate; established bulbs gradually form larger clumps.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 1 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in autumn with about twice the bulb's height of soil above its tip, spacing bulbs 3-4 in (8-10 cm) apart.
• Water after planting and during prolonged dry spells while leaves are green; use pots with drainage holes.
• On poor soil, apply a balanced bulb fertilizer at the label rate as shoots emerge.
• Apply a thin layer of compost around clumps in autumn without burying emerging shoots.
• Lift and divide crowded clumps after the foliage has yellowed if flowering declines.

Pruning. Remove spent flowers before seedpods develop, leaving stems and leaves intact. Let the foliage yellow naturally before removing it; do not tie it into knots or mow it while green.

Autumn

Plant bulbs in well-drained ground or containers, and water them in.

Late winter

Check emerging shoots and container drainage; remove fallen debris that shelters slugs.

Early spring

Water during dry weather and feed bulbs on poor soil as growth begins.

Mid-spring

Remove faded flowers but keep all green foliage.

Late spring

Delay mowing planted grass until daffodil leaves have yellowed naturally.

Early summer

Lift and separate overcrowded clumps once foliage yellows, then replant promptly.

• Plant repeated groups along paths and at the front of borders for low spring colour.
• Combine with grape hyacinths and primroses in containers, then move the pots aside while foliage ripens.
• Naturalize in open grass beneath deciduous trees where mowing can be delayed.
• Thread through hostas or hardy geraniums, whose emerging leaves help conceal dying daffodil foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Woodland, Traditional, Small-space and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Snowdrops, Grape hyacinths, Primroses, Hardy geraniums, Hostas and Deciduous ferns.

Wildlife: Flowers may receive visits from early insects, but do not rely on this cultivar as a main nectar source. Deer and rabbits usually avoid daffodils, though they may still trample or occasionally damage them.

• Leaves but few flowers: overcrowding, deep shade or premature leaf removal can weaken bulbs. Keep foliage until yellow, improve spring light and divide congested clumps.
• Bulb rot: soft or decaying bulbs often follow waterlogging. Discard affected bulbs and improve drainage before replanting healthy stock.
• Narcissus bulb fly: larvae hollow out bulbs, causing weak growth or failure to emerge. Remove and discard infested bulbs; buy firm, healthy replacements.
• Slugs and snails: young shoots and flowers may be chewed. Hand-pick after dark or use suitable barriers and locally approved controls.

Toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten; all parts contain toxic alkaloids, with the highest concentrations in the bulbs. Ingestion can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, and large amounts can cause serious poisoning. Sap can irritate skin. Keep bulbs separate from onions and seek medical or veterinary advice if swallowed.

• Daffodil 'Tête-à-tête' (Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête')

  Also compact, but its trumpets are yellow rather than orange, and stems often carry more than one flower.

• Daffodil 'February Gold' (Narcissus 'February Gold')

  Has similarly swept-back petals, but the trumpet is yellow rather than distinctly orange and the plant is generally taller.

The genus name Narcissus is traditionally linked to the Greek myth of Narcissus, the youth who became absorbed by his own reflection.

Propagation. Separate offset bulbs after the foliage yellows and replant promptly at the usual depth. Small offsets may take several years to flower; seed-grown plants will not reliably match 'Jetfire'.

Accepted botanical name

Narcissus

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.