Are Daffodils Perennials?
Daffodils are perennials. Bulbs such as daffodils and irises are herbaceous perennials, which are those plants that die back to the ground but will reemerge year after year.
What Are Perennials?
Perennials are those plants that flourish for more than two years. Perennials are further divided into subcategories: herbaceous and woody.
Woody Perennials
Woody perennials are plants with stems that stay intact during the dormant season. The new growth emerges from the stem. Shrubs such as forsythia and hydrangea are examples of woody perennials.
Herbaceous Perennials
Herbaceous perennials are those plants that die back to the ground but will reemerge year after year. Bulbs such as daffodils and irises are herbaceous perennials.
My Daffodils Didn’t Emerge This Year
If you planted daffodil bulbs and they suddenly stop producing, or you notice a reduction in the number or vigor of the blooms, it is likely time that they need to be divided. Daffodils reproduce through a process called vegetative reproduction, in which the plant produces by cloning itself. The original parent plant will multiply into several more plants. After five or so years, the new growth competes with the original plant, which is why production begins to slow.
Resources
“Definition Perennial.” Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2012. <dictionary.reference.com/browse/perennial>
Dana, Michael N., and B. Rosie Lerner. “Growing Perennial Flowers.” Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2012. <www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-061.pdf>.
Schultz Nelson, Jennifer. “Daffodil, Narcissus, or Jonquil?.” University of Illinois Extension. N.p., 20 Mar. 2011. Web. 18 May 2012. <web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/palette/110320.html>
