Revealed: The Secret of the Daffodil of the Poet

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Rodney Lay / RHS

The secrets of a flower known as the daffodil of the poet have fallen into science.

The genetic code of the chloroplast of the daffodil – the DNA responsible for photosynthesis – was mapped for the first time.

Narcissus poeticus was one of the first daffodils to be grown, and is related to the Greek legend of Narcissus.

In Greek mythology, the flower that bears his name was raised where he died.

Researchers from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the University of Reading have deciphered the genetic code of chloroplast – the energy of sunlight is transformed into food through photosynthesis.

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Facts about daffodils

• Daffodils have long been considered one of the heralds of spring.

• They can be planted in borders and containers.

• The Latin name of the plant family is Narcissus

• Some species hybridize in the wild and many horticultural crosses between species have resulted in a wide range of colorful garden hybrids.

The research could solve the problem of how to ensure that daffodil bulbs planted in bulk have the same color.

There are more than 1,500 varieties of daffodils and their bulbs are all alike.

Gardeners are sometimes disappointed when the bulbs they planted in autumn take on a different color the following spring.

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RHS / Tim Sandall

John David, Horticulture Taxonomy Officer at the RHS, said that chloroplast DNA was a good way to find a specific marker for a particular cultivar (a variety of plant grown in crop by selection).

"This is an interesting first step in identifying daffodil varieties to the point where they are most often purchased, but when there is nothing that sets them apart," he said.

"With so many bulbs going to be planted this fall, it's a huge industry and we hope our work will avoid disappointing mass planting professionals and gardeners who will often look for their proven favorites."

The research is published in the journal Mitochondrial DNA Part B.

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