Name: All daffodils are Narcissus, which is the genus name. However, most people think of daffodils as the single flower, large trumpet yellow ones, which are the most common kind of daffodils, and call the smaller headed scented varieties, narcissi. "Narcissus" comes from the Greek for "numbness" referring to the narcotic properties of the plant.

Origin: South Western Europe. First cultivated by the Romans.

Color: Over 25,000 varieties in shades of yellow, white, orange and peachy pink.

Availability: Seasonal availability Dec. to March.

Varieties: There is a huge number of cultivars, in a range of colours including combinations of white, yellows, oranges and pinks. There are multi-headed tazetta types and some with a strong fragrance. Yellow tazetta narcissi "Soleil d'Or'"and white "Ziva" have the strongest scent, and also make ideal indoor plants as potted bulbs

Care Tips: Daffodils and narcissi have sap which is toxic to other flowers. Display separately, leave in water on their own for at least 12 hours before mixing with other flowers and do not recut the stems. Or use specially formulated cut flower food for mixing daffodils with other flowers. If kept cool they will last about 1 week.

Medicinal: Daffodils are being grown for Galanthine, a substance in the bulbs being used to fight Alzheimer's.

Language of Flowers: In Victorian times daffodils signified regard, while narcissi meant self-esteem or even vanity.