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  1. Midwest Living
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  4. 10 Top Daffodils for the Midwest

10 Top Daffodils for the Midwest

By Midwest Living editors Updated February 26, 2023
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'Tahiti' daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

Celebrate the season with cheery, colorful—and Midwest-hardy—daffodils.

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Early Heralds of Spring

'Oregon Trail' daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

Daffodils, also known as jonquils and the botanically correct Narcissus, light up early spring landscapes with shades of white, cream, yellow, orange and light pink. Other advantages of these beauties:

* Daffodils are easier to grow than spring's other headliner, tulips.

* Most daffodils are reliably hardy in Midwest gardens, becoming steady perennials with sun and average soil.

* Daffodils offer a range of bloom times (early, midseason and late-blooming).

* Daffodils spread easily, growing into larger clumps.

* Daffodil leaves contain sharp crystals that deter garden grazers such as deer, rabbits and squirrels.

Related: An Ohio Gardener Shares His Daffodil Tips

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Great Midwest Daffodils: 'Tahiti'

'Tahiti' daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

A double daffodil! Swirls of bright yellow petals are accented by red-orange centers. 'Tahiti' naturalizes (reblooms and spreads) well and also makes beautiful cut flowers. Grows 14 inches tall. This showy daffodil won a Wister Award for garden excellence (the highest award from the American Daffodil Society) and the Missouri Botanical Garden's Plants of Merit designation.

Many of our flowers were photographed at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, which features about 700 kinds of daffodils in its bulb collection. Peak bloom time is mid-April.

Related: What to Plant in Fall for Spring Bulb Success

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'Fragrant Rose': Appealing Aroma

'Fragrant Rose': appealing fragrance
Credit: Mark Katzman

A large-cupped daffodil, 'Fragrant Rose' features one flower per stem. "This is one of my favorites," says Bill Lee of the American Daffodil Society and the Southwestern Ohio Daffodil Society. "It has the slight fragrance of a rose." Waxy white petals surround a long reddish-pink cup.

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'Fortissimo': Midspring Blooms

Fortissimo daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

Enjoy the midspring blooms of 'Fortissimo' outdoors, and then cut a bouquet to bring indoors—this daffodil has strong stems and is long-lasting. The showy flower features yellow crepe-paper petals that surround a large orange cup. It grows 18-20 inches tall.

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'Geranium': Vibrant Orange

'Geranium': vibrant orange
Credit: Mark Katzman

It's "like little sparks in the garden," says Scott Kunst of Old House Gardens Heirloom Bulbs in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The orange cup is sunproof, staying vibrant day after day. "The orange really holds up to the Midwestern sun," Kunst says. It grows 18-20 inches tall and is sweetly scented. "Enjoy the fragrance by planting a cluster near a doorway," Kunst suggests.

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'Mondragon': Yellow-Orange Split

'Mondragon': yellow-orange split daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

Called a split-corona daffodil, this gorgeous flower features yellow petals that surround a flattened reddish-orange center. 'Mondragon' grows 13-17 inches tall and blooms in midspring.

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'St. Keverne': Sunshine Yellow

'St. Keverne': sunshine yellow daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

Thanks to the canary yellow color of this Wister Award winner, it's perfect to plant in a spot where you need a burst of sunshine. Originally from Cornwall, England, it grows 16-18 inches tall.

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'Bravoure': Bright and Showy

'Bravoure': bright and showy daffodil

This two-tone flower features snow-white petals surrounding a bright yellow stovepipe trumpet. 'Bravoure' blooms from early spring to midspring and grows 12-24 inches tall. 

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'Ara': Popular for Mass Plantings

'Ara': popular for mass plantings

Pure-white petals surround a bright yellow trumpeted cup, making this showstopper especially visible at dawn and dusk. This daffodil is one of the most popular for planting en masse. Grows 12-16 inches tall and blooms midspring. 

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'Ice Follies': Vigorous

'Ice Follies' daffodil

This large-cupped daffodil blooms in early spring to midspring and features white petals with a yellow cup that turns creamy white as it matures. It grows 16-18 inches tall and is especially good at perennializing— developing into larger clusters over the years.

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Daffodil Growing Tips

'Barrett Browning' daffodil
Credit: Mark Katzman

Provide well-drained soil. Too much moisture can cause bulbs to rot. Daffodils will take more moisture than most bulbs, but add a handful of sand at the bottom of planting holes to aid drainage.

Site in the sun. Plant in areas that receive full sun to light shade; deep shade inhibits blooming.

Don't trim leaves. After the flowers have faded, keep the leaves. They provide extra growing power needed for next year's blooms.

Divide when flowers get smaller. Over time, one bulb becomes a clump of bulbs with smaller blooms. Divide every four or five years.

Mulch bulbs. Add a layer of shredded bark, straw or pine straw to regulate soil temperature.

Learn from pros. Get more information on growing daffodils from the American Daffodil Society.

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Daffodil Display

Daffodil display
Credit: Mark Katzman

Midwest-hardy daffodils in this watering can include 'Mission Impossible', 'Tahiti Mondragon', 'Red Hill', 'Sugarbush', 'Pops Legacy' and 'Pink Silk'.

Related: How to Make Daffodil Kokedama

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Daffodil Buying Sources

Daffodils in vase
Credit: Mark Katzman

If you're looking beyond your local garden center for bulb purchases, try one of these:

McClure & Zimmerman, Friesland, Wisconsin

Old House Gardens Heirloom Bulbs, Ann Arbor, Michigan

John Scheepers, Bantam, Connecticut

Colorblends, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Pictured: This vase holds 'Mission Impossible', 'Tahiti', 'Mondragon', 'Red Hill', 'Circle of Lemon', 'Pops Legacy' and 'Pink Silk'.

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    1 of 13 Early Heralds of Spring
    2 of 13 Great Midwest Daffodils: 'Tahiti'
    3 of 13 'Fragrant Rose': Appealing Aroma
    4 of 13 'Fortissimo': Midspring Blooms
    5 of 13 'Geranium': Vibrant Orange
    6 of 13 'Mondragon': Yellow-Orange Split
    7 of 13 'St. Keverne': Sunshine Yellow
    8 of 13 'Bravoure': Bright and Showy
    9 of 13 'Ara': Popular for Mass Plantings
    10 of 13 'Ice Follies': Vigorous
    11 of 13 Daffodil Growing Tips
    12 of 13 Daffodil Display
    13 of 13 Daffodil Buying Sources

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