The belief that all daffodils are yellow is a common misconception. The genus Narcissus, which encompasses all daffodils and jonquils, actually features a surprisingly diverse palette of colors developed over centuries of cultivation. While the iconic yellow trumpet daffodil remains a popular harbinger of spring, modern horticulture has expanded the floral range far beyond this single shade. Today, thousands of registered cultivars exist, demonstrating that the flower comes in a spectrum of colors, including pure white, orange, and even pink.
Beyond Yellow The True Range of Daffodil Colors
Daffodil colors extend across white, green, orange, red, and pink, often appearing in striking bicolored patterns. Daffodils with petals of pure white, such as the cultivar ‘Mount Hood,’ are common. The shade of white can also vary, sometimes appearing as a creamy ivory or a brilliant, bright white.
Orange and red tones are most commonly expressed in the central cup, or corona, of the flower. For instance, the cultivar ‘Barrett Browning’ features crisp white outer petals, known as the perianth segments, surrounding a shallow, brilliant orange cup. These warm colors often intensify as the flower matures, shifting from a soft apricot to a deeper orange-red.
Pink tones typically present as salmon, peach, or apricot. Cultivars like ‘Salome’ or ‘Accent’ display white perianth segments with a central cup that flushes a delicate rose-pink or salmon-pink shade. Many pink-cupped varieties retain the best color when planted in partial shade, as strong sunlight can cause the pigments to fade quickly. Daffodils also feature complex combinations, such as the ‘Actaea’ cultivar, which has pure white perianth segments and a small yellow cup ringed with a distinct red edge, creating a tri-color effect.
The Anatomy and Pigments Behind Daffodil Hues
The color a daffodil displays is determined by the concentration and type of biochemical compounds, or pigments, within the cells of two main floral structures: the perianth (outer ring) and the corona (central cup, trumpet, or eye). The yellow and orange range is primarily controlled by pigments called carotenoids, which are also responsible for the color of carrots and autumn leaves.
Carotenoids are synthesized, and their specific composition dictates the final hue. For instance, the accumulation of beta-carotene leads to deeper orange or red-orange colors. Lighter yellows are often associated with other carotenoids, such as xanthophylls like violaxanthin, and with the presence of colorless flavonoid compounds that can modify the overall appearance of the yellow color.
The development of pink and salmon tones often involves the same carotenoid pathway. In many pink-cupped cultivars, the salmon or apricot shade is a result of a high concentration of beta-carotene, which gives a pinkish-orange appearance rather than a true red or purple. The concentration of these pigments can increase as the flower ages, causing the cup color to deepen. While anthocyanins are responsible for true red, blue, and purple in many other flowers, studies on Narcissus cultivars suggest that the pink and red tones in daffodils are largely due to the intense accumulation and modification of yellow-orange carotenoids.
Navigating the Classification System
A formal classification system for daffodils is managed internationally by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). This system divides all cultivated daffodils into 13 divisions based on the flower’s form, specifically the size and shape of the corona relative to the perianth. The system then uses a standardized color code to precisely describe the coloring of each registered cultivar.
The color code is a simple alphanumeric notation separated by a hyphen, such as 1Y-Y or 2W-P. The letters preceding the hyphen denote the color of the perianth segments, and the letters following the hyphen denote the color of the corona. Standardized letters are used:
- W for white
- Y for yellow
- O for orange
- P for pink
- G for green
- R for red
A cultivar with the code 1Y-Y, for example, is a Trumpet Daffodil (Division 1) where both the perianth and the corona are yellow. A code like 2W-P indicates a Large-Cup Daffodil (Division 2) with a white perianth and a pink corona. This precise nomenclature allows growers and enthusiasts to accurately identify the coloring of a daffodil, even when the colors are multi-toned or bicolored. The colors recorded are those the flower exhibits at maturity, as color intensity can be influenced by local climate and the age of the bloom.