- Author: David Bellamy
Daffodils (Narcissus) are about done with blooming. Most are familiar with William Wordsworth's poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” which describes finding a field with “A host of golden daffodils”. Shakespeare also mentions this early spring beauty in his play, The Winter's Tale, writing “Daffodils come before the swallow dares, and take the winds of March with beauty”. These early spring bloomers now come in many colors and combinations of bloom colors including white, orange, pink, and green, in addition to the standard bright yellow. We also have hundreds of varieties to choose from, and many are very fragrant, as well.
They bring much joy to our hearts after we have endured most of the winter weather. Now that they're done, we must try and leave the leaves in their place until they're done making new reserves for next year's blooms. You should trim the flower stems soon after the blooms fade or else the plant may prioritize sending food to the seed head. Once the leaves turn yellow, you can trim them – you don't have to wait until they turn brown.
In the US, the daffodil is the official symbol for the American Cancer Association, symbolizing hope for a cure. On the contrary, some people believe it symbolizes death, maybe because of the association with cancer, or due to other old folklore, including the Greek myth. The flower is believed to be named after the son of the river god from Greek mythology. Narcissus was celebrated for his beauty, but he was arrogant. The goddess Nemesis noticed this and lured him to a pool where he fell in love with his own reflection. Some of these legends say he fell in and drowned while trying to capture his own reflection, and the flowers growing on the riverbank where he died were then named after him.
It's also important to many other cultures:
China: symbolizes good fortune, and is the official symbol of the Chinese New Year.
France: it is a sign of hope.
Wales: The national flower and legend claim that the person to find the first daffodil in bloom will be blessed with more gold than silver in the coming year.
Arabian countries: Many believe its flower is an aphrodisiac and cure for baldness.
England: Daffodils are also known as lent lilies or Lenten lilies as they typically bloom between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
If you have no room in your garden for these beauties, grab a bunch at the store and enjoy them inside while they last.
![photos by Dave Bellamy photos by Dave Bellamy](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/USS/blogfiles/68811.jpg)
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