What Colors Do Daffodils Come In?

Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) are one of the first signs of spring in many climates. These attractive flowering bulbs are desirable for their hardy nature and ease of care. Although the most easily recognizable daffodils may be bright yellow with large center coronas, the flowers actually come in several other colors. In fact, the over 70 species and more than 200,000 cultivars vary widely in appearance.

White daffodils are often called Narcissus, although "Narcissus" is the genus name of all daffodils. The color can be bright white in some daffodils, or a more creamy, off-white shade. Silver Chimes, for example, has up to 12 creamy white flowers on one stem. Hybrids of the Triandrus species are also usually white.

Oranges in daffodils range from a true, bright orange to a pale, almost salmon color. Ceylon is a double-petaled, long-blooming daffodil with orange cups. Geranium has bright orange flowers.

Yellow is perhaps the most common color found in daffodils. In fact, the most commonly planted type of daffodil, Carlton, features flowers in two hues of yellow. Follies, which is second in popularity to Carlton, has a yellow cup that gradually fades to white as the flower ages. Yellow Cheerfulness features small flowers in lemon-yellow.

Red is rarely seen in daffodils, but a few do contain some red in the flowers. Poeticus daffodils, and the Actaea cultivar in particular, feature striking centers edged with a red border. Cabineers have a deep, reddish-orange cup.

Many daffodil species and cultivars have flowers composed of several of the above colors. Sir Winston Churchill has orange centers with white petals. Avalanche has white petals that are set off nicely by a pale yellow center cup.