Daffodils, jonquils, and narcissus all are in the genus Narcissus. The genus name is attributed to Greek mythology, where a youth named Narcissus became so lost in self-admiration that as he gazed at his own reflection in a pool of water, he fell in and drowned. The first narcissus plant sprang from where he died.
Five species of Narcissus are commonly grown and known to be naturalized in various parts of the USA as well as around the world (they reproduce on their own, outside of cultivation). Also, the bulbs persist from plantings at old home sites and other odd places. Most begin to flower in late winter (February in Texas); the Poet’s narcissus starts a little later.
All Narcissus flowers have a central corona (a trumpet-shaped or bowl-shaped tube) surrounded by a ring of six tepals (petals and sepals). Color variation exists in the wild forms, but breeders have exaggerated the color contrasts. Flowers with double or multiple rows of parts also have been developed.
* Flowers single,
Corona long and tubular, tepals yellow .......... Daffodil
Corona short, tepals white ............................ Poet’s narcissus
* Flowers in clusters,
All parts golden yellow; leaves round ...................... Jonquil
Tepals and corona white; leaves flat ......................... Paperwhite
Tepals white, corona yellow; leaves flat ..... Bunch-flowered narcissus
Daffodil (Narcissus pseudo-narcissus )
Native to western Europe. Another common name for this species, "Trumpet narcissus," alludes to the tubular corona that opens into a bell shape at the top (see photo below).
Hybrids with jonquils have bright yellow flowers in clusters of 1–4, with the corona one-half to three-fourths as long as the distinct portions of the tepals.
Hybrids with Poet’s narcissus have single yellow flowers with the corona about half as long as the distinct portions of the tepals. Those in the photo above may actually be such hybrids -- note their relatively short, spreading corona without a distinct tube.
To the left is a Daffodil (long-tubed corona) and a Poet's narcissus (perhaps hybrid).
Poet’s narcissus (Narcissus poeticus)
Native to central and southern Europe. Romans as well as Arabs used these fragrant flowers in perfumes.
Flowers of Poet's narcissus look like Paperwhites but have only a single flower per stem. Hybrids with Bunch-flowered narcissus are more or less intermediate between the parents -- they have flowers in clusters of two, with white to pale yellow tepals and a short, dark yellow corona.
Linnaeus, who named this species in 1753, probably was alluding to the poetic beauty of the flowers, rather than associating it with "a poet." If true, then the generally used common name for this species is a little misleading, and it would be better as "Poetic narcissus." Or, another common name for it is "Pheasant's eye daffodil."
Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla)
Native to southwestern Europe (central and southern Spain, eastern and southern Portugal). Flowers are in clusters of 3-6 and are uniformly bright yellow or with a darker corona.
Hybrids with Bunch-flowered narcissus have leaves intermediate in width.
The flowers in the photo and drawing are in a cluster of three.
Paperwhite (Narcissus papyraceus )
Native to western Europe (southeastern France, southwestern Spain, Portugal), the Mediterranean region, and northern Africa. Like the Poet's narcissus, the flowers are strongly fragrant. Very similar to the Bunch-flowered narcissus and hybridizing with it.
The coronas are white.
Bunch-flowered narcissus (Narcissus tazetta)
Native to western Europe (southern Portugal), the Mediterranean region, and southwestern Asia (Iran).
The yellow coronas distinguish this species from the Paperwhite. Both produce flowers in clusters and have flat leaves.
