Daffodil Pests and Diseases

There are several kinds of viruses which attack daffodils, yellow stripe being the most common. It’s easy to identify, as there are noticeable yellow stripes vertically through the leaves. There’s no cure for virus; you just have to dig the bulb and throw it away. DON’T put it on your compost pile. It goes into the trash! Sometimes you’ll see color breaking in the flower as well; a yellow flower may have blotchy white patches in the bloom. You may think, “Oh, well, it doesn’t look SO sick; I’ll just keep it awhile.” Bad move. The virus can be spread by aphids, or by your cutting knife if you pick the flowers.

Basal rot, Fusarium, is another troublesome disease. This occurs most frequently when you have hot, moist summers. Some cultivars are more susceptible than others. I’m told that white daffodils are very susceptible, and don’t do well in the South. They just don’t come up. It helps if you plant late in the fall after the soil has cooled, and you could also give the bulbs a dip in a fungicide. Don’t use a lot of fertilizer high in nitrogen; it contributes to the problem as well.

You should examine the bulbs you’re planting very carefully. Give the bulb a squeeze. If it’s sort of soft, like a marshmallow, it’s likely got a bulb fly larva inside. Discard the bulb (trash, not compost!). And look carefully for the telltale holes where the larva entered.

You’re not very likely to encounter these problems, but it pays to look out for them!

Check the Washington State University, UC Davis, and Geophyte bulb pest page (Clemson University) sites in my links, as well as those below, to learn more about daffodil diseases and pests.

http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/INSECT_ID/AG136/f...

http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/CASDEPT/PLAN... (plant diseases of narcissus)

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