Do Daffodils Spread?
Daffodils do not spread. One daffodil bulb will multiply to produce several more, but they do not spread in the same manner as seeding flowers that, through dispersal, end up in an entirely new location.
Many Flowers Propagate by Seed
Unlike most plants that need to propagate by seeds or spores, a form of sexual reproduction, daffodil bulbs propagate by a form of asexual reproduction.
How Daffodils Multiply
Vegetative reproduction produces new multicellular structures that are genetically identical to the parent plant. Over the years, the parent bulb will have several ‘baby’ bulbs that are capable of producing just as prolifically as the parent bulb. The problem with this reproduction type is that, ultimately, the baby bulbs compete with the mother bulb.
When to Divide Daffodils
You will know it is time to divide your bulbs, separating the mother from the babies, when your plants become smaller and less prolific. The new bulbs can be planted in the same manner that you planted the original bulb. Vegetative reproduction is the gift that keeps on giving!
So How Do Daffodils Spread to Different Locations?
It is common to see flowers that seed in locations where they were never planted, thanks to the elements such as wind and rain. Daffodil bulbs cannot travel in this manner. If you find a daffodil where you did not plant it, the bulb was likely dug up and carried by an animal such as a squirrel.
Resources
“Growing Hardy Bulbs, HYG-1237-98.” Ohioline. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2012. <http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1237.html>.
Schultz Nelson, Jennifer. “Daffodil, Narcissus, or Jonquil?.” The University of Illinois Extension. N.p., 20 Mar. 2011. Web. 18 May 2012. <web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/palette/110320.html>
