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By Barbara McAllister
Word of the Day: Daffodil
Daffodils, the familiar trumpet-shaped perennials are the birth flowers for March because they often bloom in early spring. In England, they are sometimes called “Lent Lilies,” because they bloom around Lent. Daffodil is the common name for any plant that falls under the genus narcissus, which may include jonquils, narcissus and paperwhites. The word jonquil comes from the Spanish “jonquillo,” a kind of rush referring to the rush-like leaves of the bulb. Narcissus is named after the young man in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own reflection. He so admired his own beauty he drowned trying to grasp it and the gods turned him into a beautiful flower as punishment for his vanity. The plural of narcissus is narcissuses or narcissi, which may be why the term daffodil took hold. Its origin stems from the mid-16th century “affodil,” a Middle English word for the asphodel plant that was commonly compared to narcissus plants. The word acquired a “d” along the way and became attached to narcissus flowers.
Daffodils have been known since ancient times and grow wild in meadows and woods of southern Europe and North Africa. The Romans first brought the daffodil to Britain, where they are the official flower of Wales. They bloom around St. David’s Day. St. David is the patron saint of Wales, whose feast day is March 1. Daffodils are bright, cheerful and can bloom from six weeks to six months, depending on conditions and types. There are at least 25 different species from miniature to tall, and as many as 13,000 hybrids. They have a delicate fragrance which can range from delicate to sweet and spicy depending on the variety.
Most languages reflect versions of the English names, such as Spanish “narcisco” or French “jonquille.” Germans call it “osterglocke,” which means Easter bell. In China, narcissus are associated with Chinese New Year and the Chinese name translates to “water fairy” or “goddess over water.” Their flowering signifies prosperity and good luck. If the narcissus blooms on Chinese New Year it is thought to bring extra wealth and good fortune throughout the year. Careful techniques to force blooms by suspending bulbs over water were developed to influence the timing of flowering because good fortune is too critical to leave to mere chance.
EDITORS NOTE: Readers of a certain age may forever associate the word daffodils with Bullwinkle’s 1962 rendering of Wordsworth’s “Daffodils.” To watch it, click on photo below.
To read the actual powem, click here.
