For garden purposes, daffodils are classified in 13 divisions where the division number specifies the form and the letters (color code) specify the colors. For example:
1 W-Y = a trumpet daffodil with white perianth segments (“petals”) and yellow corona (“trumpet”).
2 Y-YYO = a large-cupped daffodil, all yellow except for a band of orange at corona (“cup”) rim.
11b W-O/Y/W = a papillon daffodil with white perianth segments and longitudinal bands of orange, yellow and white in the corona, with orange predominant.
Whether of wild or cultivated origin, once a selection has been distinguished by a cultivar name, it should be assigned to Divisions 1–12. Daffodils distinguished solely by botanical name should be assigned to Division 13.
The characteristics for Divisions 5 to 10 are given for guidance only; they are not all necessarily expected to be present in every cultivar assigned to those divisions.
DIVISION 1 | Trumpet Daffodil Cultivars | DIVISION 2 | Large-cupped Daffodil Cultivars |
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One flower to a stem; ("trumpet") as long, or longer than the perianth segments ("petals") | One flower to a stem; corona ("cup") more than one third, but less than equal to the perianth segments ("petals"). |
DIVISION 3 | Small-cupped Daffodil Cultivars | DIVISION 4 | Double Daffodil Cultivars |
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One flower to a stem; ("cup") not more than one third the length of the perianth segments ("petals") | One or more flowers to a stem, with doubling of the perianth segments or the corona or both |
DIVISION 5 | Triandrus Daffodil Cultivars | DIVISION 6 | Cyclamineus Daffodil Cultivars |
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Characteristics of N. triandrus clearly evident: usually two or more pendent flowers to a stem; perianth segments reflexed. | Characteristics of N. cyclamineus clearly evident: one flower to a stem; perianth segments significantly reflexed; flower at an acute angle to the stem, with a very short pedicel ("neck") |
DIVISION 7 | Jonquilla Daffodil Cultivars | DIVISION 8 | Tazetta Daffodil Cultivars |
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Characteristics of Sections Jonquilla or Apodanthi clearly evident: one to five (rarely eight) flowers to a stem; perianth segments spreading or reflexed; corona cup-shaped,funnel-shaped, or flared, usually wider than long; flowers usually fragrant | Characteristics of Section Tazettae clearly evident: usually three to twenty flowers to a stout stem; perianth segments spreading not reflexed; flowers usually fragrant. |
DIVISION 9 | Poeticus Daffodil Cultivars | DIVISION 10 | Bulbocodium Daffodil Cultivars |
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Characteristics of the N. poeticus group: usually one flower to a stem; perianth segments pure white; corona very short or disc-shaped, usually with a green and/or yellow center and a red rim, but sometimes of a single color; flowers usually fragrant. | Characteristics of Section Bulbocodium clearly evident: usually one flower to a stem; perianth segments insignificant compared with the dominant corona; anthers dorsifixed (i.e., attached more or less centrally to the filament); filament and style usually curved |
DIVISION 11a | Split-corona Daffodil Cultivars | DIVISION 11b | Split-corona Daffodil Cultivars |
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a) Collar Daffodils Split-corona with the corona segments opposite the perianth segments; the corona segments usually in two whorls of three | b) Papillon Daffodils. Split-corona daffodils with the corona segments alternate to the perianth segments; the split corona segments usually in a single whorl of six |
DIVISION 12 | Other Daffodil Cultivars |
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Daffodil cultivars which do not fit the definition of any other division. |   |
Autumn flowering; one to four flowers to a rounded stem; leaves very narrow, glaucous, not always present on flowering bulbs; flower ascending, yellow; corona absent or rudimentary; anthers widely exserted from the tube, much shorter than the filaments, dorsifixed.
SECTION SEROTINIAutumn flowering; usually one to two flowers to a rounded stem; leaves very narrow, glaucous, not always present on flowering bulbs; perianth segments pure white, usually twisted; corona very short, yellow, orange, or green; anthers included in or slightly exserted from the tube, longer than the filaments, dorsifixed; flowers fragrant.
SECTION AURELIAAutumn flowering; three to twelve flowers to a compressed stem; leaves flat, not channeled, glaucous; flowers white; corona rudimentary or absent; filaments unequal in length; anthers exserted from the tube, dorsifixed; flowers fragrant.
SECTION TAZETTAEAutumn to spring flowering; three (rarely two) to twenty flowers to a usually compressed stem; leaves flat or channeled, usually glaucous; flowers white, yellow, or bicolored; anthers included in or slightly exserted from the tube, much longer than the filaments, dorsifixed; flowers fragrant. The rounded stem and green leaves of N. aureus atypical, also the orange corona of N. elegans.
SECTION NARCISSUSSpring flowering; usually one flower (exceptionally two to four) to a compressed stem; leaves flat, not channeled, glaucous; perianth segments pure white; corona disc-shaped or very shallow, sometimes of a single color, but usually with base green, mid-zone yellow, and rim red or orange and often scarious; anthers partly exserted from the tube, much longer than the filaments, dorsifixed; flowers fragrant. This section covers N. poeticus.
SECTION JONQUILLASpring flowering; one to five (rarely eight) flowers to a rounded stem; leaves narrow or semi-cylindrical, green; flowers yellow, never white; perianth segments spreading or reflexed; corona usually cup-shaped, usually wider than long; anthers included in or partly exserted from the tube, much longer than the filaments, dorsifixed; flowers fragrant. The autumn flowering, green-flowered N. viridiflorus is atypical.
SECTION APODANTHISpring flowering; one flower or two to five to a somewhat compressed stem; leaves narrow, channeled, glaucous; flowers white or yellow, never bicolored; perianth segments spreading or slightly reflexed; corona cup-shaped, funnel-shaped, or flared, usually wider than long; anthers included in the tube, or three included and three exserted, much longer than the filaments, dorsifixed.
SECTION GANYMEDESSpring flowering; one flower or two to six to an elliptical or cylindrical stem; flowers pendent, white, yellow, or somewhat bicolored; leaves flat or semi-cylindrical; perianth segments reflexed; corona cup-shaped (rarely campanulate); anthers three included in the tube, three exserted (often beyond the corona), equal to or much shorter than the filaments, dorsifixed. This section covers N. triandrus.
SECTION BULBOCODIUMAutumn to spring flowering; one flower to a rounded stem; leaves narrow, semi-cylindrical; flowers white or yellow; perianth segments insignificant compared with the dominant corona; anthers widely exserted from the tube (often beyond the corona), much shorter than the filaments (which are usually curved), dorsifixed.
SECTION PSEUDONARCISSUSSpring flowering; usually one flower to a more or less compressed or sometimes rounded stem; leaves flat or channeled, usually glaucous; flowers white, yellow, or bicolored; perianth segments usually spreading or inflexed; corona more or less cylindrical, often flared at mouth, yellow or white (never orange or red); anthers exserted from the tube, equal to or shorter than the filaments, sub-basifixed. The green leaves, rounded stem, and strongly reflexed perianth segments of N. cyclamineus and the two to four flowers to a stem of N. longispathus and N. nevadensis are atypical.
WILD HYBRIDSNatural hybrids distinguished by botanical names are also assigned to this division.
NOTE: Pictures obtained from The International Daffodil Register and Classified List (1998), Horticulture Classification;