Profile — Daffodil Delight
Posted in People on May 7 2008, by Plant Talk
Every few weeks an employee or friend of the Garden takes a quick stroll around the lush 250-acre grounds and writes down his or her thoughts. This week, Shanika Gunesekera, Manager of Public Education at The New York Botanical Garden, took time to examine the daffodils, which are exploding all across the Garden right now. 
Daffodils are one of the cheeriest members of spring. Whether you call them daffodils, narcissus, jonquils, or paperwhites, they are all members of the genus Narcissus. There are over 13,000 different hybrids available in the nursery trade.
Part of their popularity is due to their timing—they appear from late March into May, breaking the monotony of winter and brightening up the landscape. They are also incredibly easy to grow and require very little care once planted. They are tough and versatile. Deer and rodents will not touch them (the bulbs are poisonous), they make excellent cut flowers, and many varieties are wonderfully fragrant.
Flower arranging tip: The sap from cut daffodil stems is said to shorten the vase life of other flowers mixed with them. Use them alone in a vase or seal daffodil stems with a flame.
