Daffodil Bud Blast

by Sherrie Smith and Jason Pavel - March 20, 2023

Plant Health Clinic Disease Note Issue 5

Daffodil Bud Blast-Abiotic. Photo by Carla Vaught, formerly University of Arkansas System Cooperative Extension Service

Daffodils are considered harbingers of spring, being among the very first of the spring bulbs to bloom. Depending on what part of the country you hail from, these spring beauties are called Daffodils or Jonquils or Narcissus. Narcissus is the genus name for Daffodils, Jonquils, and Paperwhites.

We use the common name daffodil when referring to the large, trumpet-shaped flowers of the Narcissus pseudonarcissus. Daffodils have flat leaves and usually one bloom per stem. Jonquils, Narcissus jonquilla, have dark green, tube-shaped leaves with several flowers per stem. Narcissus tazetta papyraceous are known as Paperwhites and are tender in colder parts of the country. Paperwhite bulbs are often used for indoor displays during the holiday season. There are hundreds of cultivars in the Genus Narcissus. For the purposes of this discussion, we will refer to the entire group as Daffodils.

Whether you call them Daffodils, Jonquils, or Narcissus, they usually have few disease problems. The Plant Health Clinic does occasionally receive a sample of Daffodils with what is known as Bud Blast.

What causes daffodil bud blast?

Extreme environmental conditions such as a hard freeze or hot spell at a critical time may cause the buds to dry out and turn brown before opening. Drought conditions during the growing period may contribute to the problem. Slow-release fertilizers rich in potassium applied in the fall helps with preventing Bud Blast. If this becomes a chronic problem in your garden, look for daffodils which are resistant to blast, such as: ‘Tahiti’, ‘Unique’, ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ and others.

Take Aways:

• Water during drought conditions.
• Apply potassium in the fall.
• Choose resistant cultivars.

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