Most of the commercially available bulbs come from Divisions 1, 2, and 8, the Trumpets, Large Cupped, and Tazetta varieties.
But cultivars from Divisions 4, 5, and 7, the Double, Triandrus, and Jonquilla types, have also become popular for growing in the home garden.
Let’s have a look at each Division along with some popular daffodil cultivars from each one.
Division 1 – Trumpets
Flowers in Division 1 are the familiar, large-flowered Trumpets, featuring long, prominent corona, the trumpet, that’s at least as long as the perianth segments, the petals.
Producing one big, bold flower per stem, these daffodils bloom in the early and mid-season garden and generally have a light, sweet fragrance with floral or fruity notes.
Trumpets grow from 12 to 24 inches tall and naturalize well.
They add alluring drama when planted in drifts and can be used in cutting gardens, as well as in beds, borders, containers, natural settings, and underplanting deciduous trees.
Well known Trumpet cultivars include ‘Angel’s Flute,’ ‘Beersheba,’ ‘Dutch Master,’ ‘Early Sensation,’ and ‘Goblet.’
‘King Alfred’ is the regal head of state, producing a blaze of large, sunshine yellow flowers in early to mid-spring.
‘King Alfred’
Growing 16 to 24 inches, the blooms have a light fruity scent.
Packets of bulbs are available at Eden Brothers.
Put on a show with ‘Las Vegas’, featuring big, bold, bicolored flowers with snow white petals and a brilliant yellow trumpet.
‘Las Vegas’
Plants reach up to 16 inches and boast a light, sweet scent.
You can find bulbs available at Burpee.
The serene standard for white daffodils, ‘Mount Hood’ is resplendent with big, radiant flowers of pure white petals framing a creamy trumpet.
‘Mount Hood’
With slightly fragrant flowers, the plants reach up to 14 inches tall.
Pick up bulbs in a variety of package sizes from Eden Brothers.
Division 2 – Large Cupped
Large Cupped daffodil varieties feature a corona that may be cupped or trumpet-shaped with a length that’s greater than one-third, but no more than equal to the length of the petals.
Producing one flower per stem, most cultivars are sweetly scented and flower in early to mid-spring, but there are some that flower later in the season.
Large Cupped daffodils grow 16 to 18 inches tall and are well suited for mass planting and naturalizing, or planted in groups in beds, containers, foundations, and islands.
Recognizable Large Cupped hybrids include ‘Dinnerplate,’ ‘Fortissimo,’ ‘Fortune,’ ‘Gigantic Star,’ and ‘Pyjama Party.’
‘Glen Clova’ has a striking presence with a deep orange trumpet set against pale, lemon yellow petals.
‘Glen Clova’
The blooms have a sweet floral fragrance and grow up to 18 inches tall.
‘Glen Clova’ bulbs are available at Burpee.
Dazzling when mass planted, the large flowers of ‘Red Devon’ have striking, lemon yellow petals set off with a deep flame-orange cup.
‘Red Devon’
Sweetly perfumed, they grow up to 18 inches tall.
You can find bulbs in a variety of packet sizes from the CZ Grain Store via Amazon.
A star in the mid-spring garden, ‘Ice Follies’ glows with snow white petals, and a butter yellow trumpet with a white ruffled edge.
‘Ice Follies’
The blooms have a sweet floral scent and plants grow 16 to 18 inches tall.
You can find bulbs in 12-packs available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Division 3 – Small Cupped
The Small Cupped varieties in Division 3 have their own unique charm, with small button-like coronas no more than one-third the length of the petals.
Producing one flower per stem in mid-spring, the short trumpets are often strongly colored, providing a handsome focal point to the many attractive, bicolored hybrids, often sweetly scented.
They make excellent cut flowers and feature beautifully in borders, edging, and planters and also naturalize readily in meadows and woodland fringes. Division 3 plants grow 16 to 20 inches tall.
Well-known cultivars include ‘Aflame,’ ‘Barrett Browning,’ ‘Loth Lorian,’ ‘Moon Shadow,’ and ‘Segovia.’
Prepare to be impressed with the long-lasting appeal of ‘Charming Lady,’ captivating with pure white petals and grapefruit-pink trumpets.
‘Charming Lady’
The pretty flowers feature a delicate perfume and plants grow 10 to 12 inches tall.
Packets of 10 bulbs are available at Burpee.
Division 4 – Double
Extravagant and showy with a long vase life, Double daffodils display either a double ring of petals, frilly double trumpets, or both.
Producing one or more flowers per stem, Double types flower in mid and late spring with a sweetly scented floral fragrance and grow 12 to 24 inches tall.
Doubles are suitable for any location, but the large flower heads can become top heavy and bend over in steady rain.
Plant in somewhat sheltered locations, like under eaves or trees, in rainy locales.
Popular Double cultivars include ‘Extravaganza,’ ‘Mary Copeland,’ ‘Obdam,’ ‘Petit Four,’ and ‘White Lion.’
A sweetly scented, fully double daffodil that’s excellent for naturalizing, ‘Replete’ satisfies with snow white petals and ruffled, peachy pink coronas.
‘Replete’
Blooms are sweetly scented and plants grow 14 to 20 inches.
Bulbs in packets of five can be purchased at Burpee.
Wake up to the wonders of ‘Rip Van Winkle’ – an amazing, fully double daffodil in honey yellow with a spiky, dahlia-like form.
‘Rip Van Winkle’
The blooms have a fresh floral fragrance and the miniature plants grow six to eight inches tall.
You can find ‘Rip Van Winkle’ bulbs available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Division 5 – Triandrus
Triandrus types develop two to six small to midsized pendulous flowers per stem, featuring lightly swept back petals, a short corona, and often a strong, sweet perfume.
The diminutive to medium-sized daffodils of six to 24 inches tall bloom in mid to late spring and are well-suited for borders, edging, and grouped in cutting or rock gardens, foundations, and islands.
Familiar Triandrus hybrids include ‘Angel’s Whisper, ‘Ice Wings,’ ‘Katie Heath,’ ‘Fairy Chimes,’ and ‘Liberty Bells.’
A petite charmer with pale yellow blooms, ‘Hawera’ produces multiple stems with several delicately fragrant flowers per stem.
‘Hawera’
At only four to six inches high, they’re striking when massed into borders, edges, rock gardens, and in window boxes.
‘Hawera’ bulbs are available at Burpee.
Another miniature delight for borders, rockeries, and wild gardens, ‘Thalia’ has pure white flowers with a hint of pineapple yellow at the throat.
‘Thalia’
Growing to a mature height of eight inches, ‘Thalia’ flowers have a strong scent.
Bulbs are available from Van Zyverden via Walmart.
Division 6 – Cyclamineus
Producing one flower per stem, daffodils in the Cyclamineus division have blooms that are positioned at an acute angle to the stems and petals are markedly reflexed with a mid-sized to long trumpet.
Miniature daffodils with a height of eight to 16 inches, Division 6 types have a delicate beauty that belies their toughness.
Flowering freely in early to mid-spring, they have a strong, sweetly floral fragrance and are more shade tolerant than other divisions, making them a good choice for underplanting trees and around shrubs.
Cyclamineus includes varieties such as ‘Beryl,’ ‘Cotinga,’ ‘February Gold,’ ‘Jenny,’ and ‘Peeping Tom.’
‘Jack Snipe’ is a classic bicolored cultivar with bright white petals swept back from the golden trumpet, giving a lively appearance and sweet fragrance.
‘Jack Snipe’
Plants grow up to 12 inches tall.
You can find ‘Jack Snipe’ bulbs available from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.
Vibrantly animated, ‘Jetfire’ streaks through the early spring garden with dramatically reflexed petals of sunshine yellow and long trumpets tinged in orange.
‘Jetfire’
Plants grow up to 12 inches and the flowers have a sweet fruity fragrance.
Bulbs are available from Garden State Bulb Co. via Walmart.
Division 7 – Jonquilla
Jonquilla daffodils feature one to five small blooms per stem with spreading perianth segments and a small, cup-shaped corona.
Plants bloom in late spring with a sweet floral fragrance.
Growing up to 14 inches, Jonquilla daffodils make a beautiful addition to beds, containers, and rockeries and are a good choice for indoor forcing.
Some popular cultivars include ‘Amore Mio,’ ‘Bebop,’ ‘Buttercup,’ ‘Clare,’ and ‘Kokopelli.’
For demure sophistication, ‘Blushing Lady’ features banana yellow petals with a pale peach cup and delightful fragrance.
‘Blushing Lady’
These plants reach a mature height of 14 inches.
Packets of 10 bulbs can be found at Burpee.
Division 8 – Tazetta
Highly floriferous, Tazetta cultivars feature three to twenty small flowers per stem, with spreading petals and a short cup – like tiny teacup and saucer sets.
Strongly scented, they flower mostly in early and mid-spring, with some late flowering varieties as well.
Tazetta daffodils are the least cold hardy of all Narcissus, only suitable for cultivation in Zones 5 to 9. They range from six to 24 inches in height.
They’re superb for indoor forcing – any white flowered Tazetta is considered a “paperwhite,” the standard for forcing indoors.
Outdoors, Tazettas naturalize well and can be used in beds, containers, edging, meadows, and rock gardens.
Notable cultivars include ‘Castanets,’ ‘Gloriosus,’ ‘Matador,’ ‘Pacific Coast,’ and ‘Polly’s Pearl.’
Loaded with multiple adorable flowers per stem, ‘Geranium’ blooms have creamy white petals and vermillion orange cups.
‘Geranium’
Plants reach up to 14 inches and the flowers are extremely fragrant.
Bulbs can be found at Nature Hills Nursery.
Division 9 – Poeticus
Poeticus varieties produce one outward facing flower per stem.
The petals are pure white and the corona is typically short and stout or disc shaped, with a red or same-colored rim and chartreuse to yellow throat.
The large flowers bloom in late spring and plants grow 14 to 20 inches tall, putting on a brilliant display when massed in drifts or naturalized in meadows.
In beds, containers, or foundations, locate where the breeze can carry their strongly floral perfume to patios and open windows.
Popular Poeticus varieties include ‘Actaea,’ ‘Angel Eyes,’ ‘Capability Brown,’ ‘Horace,’ and ‘Mountain Poet.’
The standard of Poeticus varieties, ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ has it all – clean white petals, a short, rose-edged cup, lime green throat, and strong, sweet scent.
‘Pheasant’s Eye’
A beautiful choice for forcing or outdoor growth, ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ grows up to 12 inches tall.
You can find ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ bulbs available at Burpee.
Division 10 – Bulbocodium
Uniquely formed with large, bell-shaped cups, Bulbocodium varieties have narrow, insignificant perianth segments overshadowed by the dominant, hoop-shaped corona.
Bulbocodium daffodils are petite plants, growing from four to eight inches tall and produce one, sweetly fragrant flower per stem in early to mid-spring.
A charming variety for borders, containers, edging, and cottage, fairy, or rock gardens. Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Popular cultivars include ‘Mary Poppins,’ ‘Oxford Gold,’ ‘Spoirot,’ and ‘White Petticoat.’
A Division 10 classic, ‘Golden Bells’ ring out with bright yellow tubular trumpets and tiny chartreuse petals.
‘Golden Bells’
Growing only six to eight inches tall, they have a sweet perfume.
Bulbs are available at Nature Hills.
Division 11 – Split Cupped
Beloved for their frothy, butterfly blooms, Division 11 flowers bloom in early to mid-spring with a sweet floral to fruity fragrance.
Division 11 plants are standard sized with a height range of 12 to 26 inches and make a striking addition to beds, islands, foundations, and cutting gardens or naturalized in meadows and woodland fringes.
They also fall into two distinct categories:
11a Split-Cupped Collar Varieties
Split-Cupped Collar varieties have corona segments placed opposite the petals, forming a ruffled collar.
The cup segments connect in two whorls of three pieces each.
11b Split-Cupped Papillon Varieties
Split-Cupped Papillon types feature corona segments alternate to the petals.
The corona segments typically form a single whorl of six sections that create a frilly, butterfly-like effect.
Established Split-Cupped varieties include ‘Apricot Lace,’ ‘Mondragon,’ ‘Papillon Blanc,’ ‘Sovereign,’ and ‘Tricollete.’
Heads will spin at the sight of ‘Apricot Whirl,’ an 11a type, with foamy split cups of luscious apricot highlighted with a yellow throat and backed by pure white petals.
‘Apricot Whirl’
Plants grow up to 14 inches and the blooms are lightly fragrant.
You can find packets of 12 bulbs available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Wonderfully exuberant, ‘Sunny Girlfriend’ features wide open, white corona whorls with ruffled grapefruit pink edges, a bright yellow throat, and creamy white petals.
‘Sunny Girlfriend’
These sweetly scented, Division 11a plants grow up to 18 inches tall.
Bulbs in a variety of packet sizes are available at Eden Brothers.
Division 12 – Other
Division 12 varieties are flowers that don’t fit the descriptions of any other divisions, with many being inter-divisional hybrids.
Flowering time can be early, mid, or late season and traits like fragrance and hardiness depend on the cultivar.
Some well-known Division 12 hybrids include ‘Bittern,’ ‘Daffy Duck,’ ‘Jumblie,’ ‘Toto,’ and ‘Twinkle Boy.’
Perhaps the most well-known Division 12 variety, ‘Tete a Tete’ is delightful in the early-season garden and features one to three golden yellow flowers per stem.
‘Tete a Tete’
Strongly scented and a top choice for forcing, the miniature plants grow up to eight inches in height.
You can find bulbs in a variety of packet sizes available at Eden Brothers.
Division 13 – Species, Wild Variants, Wild Hybrids
The Division 13 types are species plants, wild variants, and uncultivated hybrids found in nature, and classified only by botanical name.
The species Narcissus. viridiflorus and variants such as N. pseudonarcissus subsp. moschatus and N. rupicola subsp. watieri are typical of Division 13.
Symbols of Spring
A joyous symbol of spring, the 13 daffodil divisions give us a huge range of varieties for weeks of color and fragrance throughout the spring months.
