5 White-Flowered Daffodil Varieties
Our selection of the finest white jonquils
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daffodils or jonquils are beautiful flowering bulbs that brighten gardens from early spring. With their single- or double trumpet-shaped corollas, they offer bright flowering, often fragrant and a lovely diversity. These timeless, hardy bulbs thrive in full sun or partial shade, in borders as well as in pots, in woodland settings as well as in rock gardens, returning faithfully year after year. Their delicate hues and fresh fragrance are symbols of nature’s renewal after winter. Among the numerous existing varieties, white daffodils will bring a touch of purity and simplicity to any décor, pairing easily with other spring bulbs.
Discover our selection of the five finest white daffodil varieties, reliable choices for growing in borders or in pots.
→ Find our complete guide Daffodils or Jonquils: Planting, Growing and Maintaining
Narcissus (x) triandus 'Petrel'
Abundantly floriferous and remarkably scented, Narcissus ‘Petrel’ is a sublime little narcissus. Especially in April–May, it bears its small pure white flowers (up to 7 per stem!), simply offset by a small green eye at the heart of the trumpet. It is a narcissus of elegance and subtlety that flowers rather late, thereby prolonging, for our greatest delight, the daffodil season to the end of spring! It raises its sturdy stems to 30–35 cm tall when in bloom. This variety naturalises easily in well-drained soil. It adds enchanting charm to borders, containers and spring cut flower arrangements. Pair it with Myosotis sylvatica ‘Snowsylva’ which features pure white flowers with yellow centres.
Narcissus x triandus ‘Petrel’ (© Ibulb)
Narcissus poeticus 'Actaea'
Simple and elegant, here is another narcissus that captivates with its enchanting scent. The Narcissus poeticus ‘Actaea’, also known as “Poet’s Narcissus”, proudly displays its flowers with long, slender petals framing a small yellow crown edged with red. It forms a graceful clump about 40 cm tall in bloom in April–May. You will create a lovely refreshing pairing with Tulips Tulips ‘Concerto’ in a border.
Narcissus 'Toto'
Narcissus ‘Toto’ is a delightful dwarf variety, not exceeding 20–25 cm in bloom. Robust despite its small size, it is perfect for pot culture and rockeries with a natural look. It unfolds at the very start of spring, from March to April, its small white corollas, slightly upturned, surrounding a pale yellow trumpet. This traditional variety, delicate in its own right, has won awards in England and is particularly reliable, naturalising easily. To accompany it in a small border or rockery, consider Muscari ‘White Magic’, with small clusters of pure white accented with fresh yellow.
Narcissus tazetta 'Erlicheer'
Here is a little narcissus with irresistible, old-fashioned charm! The Narcissus tazetta ‘Erlicheer’ blooms in the very first days of spring, revealing ravishing little flowers that are very double with gardenia-like appearance. Each stem can bear up to 6–8, or even 12, flowers, each measuring 2–4 cm in diameter. These ivory-white frilled corollas, held about 35 cm above the soil, reveal a yellow-centred heart. Very fragrant, they give off a subtle fragrance. This ancient horticultural hybrid, awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society in England and native to the Mediterranean region, adapts to a wide range of climates and conditions. In a natural border bed, pair it with scillas and Anemone blanda.
Paperwhite narcissus (Narcissus papyraceus)
Here is a multiflorous variety prized for its ease of cultivation indoors as well as outdoors. The Narcissus papyraceus (tazetta), more commonly known as Narcissus ‘Paperwhite’, is suited to forcing to bloom indoors at Christmas. Its pure-white flowers are formed of six white petals, almost translucent, not exceeding 3.5 cm in diameter, awakened simply by a bouquet of orange pistils. Each stem bears 6 to 12 small narcissi that emit a gentle fragrance. Medium-sized, standing 35–40 cm tall, it will look wonderful in a pot placed near the house or in a room not kept very warm, delighting us with its delicate winter flowering. Tender to frost (-6°C), it will only be grown outdoors in a mild climate and will thrive there in February, as it needs a dry summer to bloom well in winter. In a rock garden, you can surround it with houseleeks such as the Sempervivum arachnoideum, which at flowering time will form, at its base, an astonishing carpet of woolly rosettes.
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