So, let’s do a little review. What exactly IS the difference between a narcissus and a daffodil? If you said, “nothing,” then you’re absolutely correct. Narcissus is the botanical name of the genus, and daffodil is the common English name. Some folks say that “narcissus” refers to the late-blooming, fragrant white poeticus hybrids, and that the yellow ones are "daffodils.” They’d be wrong. My mother-in-law was one who thought that, and she’s the only person I never corrected! The terms are interchangeable. So what’s a jonquil, or a buttercup? In some areas, “jonquil” is used interchangeably with “daffodil,” but it should only be used when talking about jonquil hybrids, one branch of the family. And “buttercup”? When I lived in Tennessee, I found that some people used that term when referring to daffodils. That’s the only place I heard that, though.
So what do all those numbers and letters mean after the names of daffodils when you’re reading catalogs? And why do you need them? Well, the numbers and letters give an indication of what the daffodil looks like. The number refers to the shape, or division: 1, trumpet; 2, large cup; 3, small cup; 4, double; 5, triandrus hybrids; 6, cyclamineus hybrids; 7, jonquil hybrids; 8, tazetta hybrids; 9, poeticus hybrids; 10, bulbocodium hybrids; 11, split corona daffodils; and 12, any other daffodils. The letters indicate the colors of the daffodil. So, a 2 W-P would be a large-cupped daffodil with white perianth and a pink cup. A 3 W-GYO would be a small-cupped daffodil with a white perianth and the cup has a green eye, yellow mid-zone, and orange rim. Divisions 1, 2, and 3 differ only in the length of the cup in relation to the perianth. Division 4, double, is obvious. Division 5, think several pendent blooms to a stem, while Division 6 should have significantly reflexed perianths. Division 7s usually have several fragrant blooms to a stem. Division 8, think paperwhite-types, while Division 9 has the late flowers commonly referred to as pheasant-eye type. Division 10s are hoop-petticoat hybrids. In Division 11, the corona is split, and the segments usually lie flat against the perianth. Division 12 includes those that don’t fit neatly into any other division. It’s easy, once you get the hang of it. And Division 13 includes all the different species and wild hybrids within the genus.
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