March has two birth flowers: Daffodil and Jonquil. Both belong to the Narcissus genus, yet they carry distinct histories, fragrances, and symbolism worth knowing before you select a gift.
The daffodil takes its name from a Greek youth who drowned in his own reflection. The jonquil gets its name from the Spanish word for "rush" because of its thin, reed-like leaves.
I work with both flowers frequently at The Hidden Garden's floral studio in LA. If you are shopping for someone born in March, understanding these stories helps you choose between the cheerful trumpet flower and its intensely fragrant cousin.
March Birth Flower #1: Daffodil
Photo credit: Flickr
The daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and grows from bulbs planted in autumn.
The Trumpet That Announces Spring
Daffodils push through late winter soil while snow still covers the ground, which explains why cultures worldwide adopted them as symbols of renewal. The Welsh wear daffodils on St. David's Day every March 1st. The American Cancer Society chose the daffodil as its symbol of hope.
In China, daffodils represent prosperity because they bloom around the Lunar New Year. Folklore holds that seeing one on New Year's Day brings luck for the coming year.
How a Greek Youth Became a Flower and a Diagnosis
Greek mythology tells the story of Narcissus, a young hunter from Thespiae known for his exceptional beauty. The seer Tiresias warned that Narcissus would live a long life only if he never recognized himself.
Narcissus rejected every suitor who approached him, including the nymph Echo, who faded away until only her voice remained. The goddess Nemesis punished him by luring him to a pool where he saw his own reflection and fell hopelessly in love with it.
Unable to leave the allure of his image, Narcissus realized that his love could not be reciprocated. He wasted away staring at the water, and where his body fell, a gold and white flower sprang from the earth.
Sigmund Freud later borrowed the name for his concept of narcissism, describing an excessive preoccupation with one's own appearance.
The Trap Zeus Set for His Own Daughter
Zeus and Hades conspired to kidnap Persephone, and Gaia made a narcissus grow as bait. While Persephone gathered flowers in a meadow, she spotted the radiant bloom and bent to pick it. The earth split open beneath her, and Hades emerged on his golden chariot.
This myth explains why we have seasons. Persephone's mother Demeter refused to let anything grow until her daughter returned, and Zeus eventually negotiated a compromise: Persephone spends part of the year underground and part with her mother.
When she returns to the surface, spring arrives. When she descends, winter begins. The daffodil's connection to Persephone gives it dual symbolism: renewal and the boundary between life and death.
What Different Daffodil Colors Mean
Daffodils come in more colors than most people realize.
| Color | Traditional Symbolism |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Joy, optimism, new beginnings |
| White | Purity, transformation |
| Orange | Courage, vitality |
| Pink | Pride, rarity |
Yellow daffodils announce the end of winter. White varieties appear in sympathy arrangements because they symbolize moving beyond grief. Orange carries energy appropriate for someone facing a challenge.
If you want arrangements featuring these spring tones, I keep a collection of spring arrangements that capture this energy.
How Wordsworth Turned a Walk into England's Most Beloved Poem
On April 15, 1802, William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy walked along the shores of Ullswater in the Lake District and came upon a long belt of wild daffodils growing along the water's edge.
Dorothy recorded the scene in her journal: "I never saw daffodils so beautiful they grew among the mossy stones about and about them, some rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow for weariness and the rest tossed and reeled and danced."
Two years later, Wordsworth used her entry as inspiration for "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." In a 1995 BBC Radio 4 poll to determine the UK's favourite poems, it came fifth.
The poem describes how the memory of those daffodils stayed with Wordsworth, flashing upon his "inward eye" whenever he felt pensive or alone. His wife Mary contributed the famous lines about "the bliss of solitude," making the poem a family creation.
You can still see wild daffodils blooming near Ullswater every spring. The Wordsworth Trust displays Dorothy's original journal alongside the British Library's manuscript of the poem at their museum in Grasmere.
March Birth Flower #2: Jonquil
Photo credit: Flickr
The jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla) is technically a type of daffodil, but it has characteristics that set it apart.
The Fragrant Cousin with Rush-Like Leaves
The name comes from the Spanish "junquillo," meaning "little rush," which refers to the plant's long, narrow, rush-like leaves. These dark green, cylindrical leaves look completely different from the flat, sword-shaped foliage of standard daffodils.
Jonquils produce multiple flowers per stem, carrying 3 or more, each smaller than a typical daffodil bloom. The cups tend to be shallower than daffodil trumpets.
Native to Spain and Portugal, jonquils thrive in warmer climates and bloom slightly later than most daffodils. Their fragrance carries much farther than the mild scent of their larger relatives.
Why Perfumers Pay Fortunes for Jonquil Oil
Jonquil absolute is one of the rarest ingredients in high-end perfumery.
It takes around 2,500 kilos of hand-picked flowers to produce a single kilo of the absolute. The resulting oil has a complex scent profile: honeyed, green, and slightly narcotic. It blends notes of jasmine, tuberose, and warm hay with a sweetness that lingers for hours.
A single ounce of pure French jonquil absolute can cost well over a thousand dollars, and prices continue to climb as the flowers become harder to source. Perfume houses guard their suppliers carefully because consistent quality is difficult to find.
The scent profile is heady and intoxicating, with an undertone that gives it sensuality and depth. Jonquil absolute appears as a heart note in several iconic fragrances, though usually in tiny quantities due to the cost.
The Flower That Grows Along the River Styx
The daffodil's name likely evolved from "asphodel," a flower connected to Greek beliefs about death.
Asphodel Meadows are a section of the ancient Greek underworld where most ordinary souls were sent after death. These gray plains, covered in pale ghostly flowers, served as the final destination for souls who lived unremarkable lives.
The association between narcissus-type flowers and the underworld runs through multiple Greek texts. Homer's Odyssey describes Odysseus encountering souls in this shadowy domain during his journey to the underworld.
Understanding these myths adds layers to a gift. You can give a jonquil bouquet to celebrate someone's March birthday while knowing that the flower carries thousands of years of stories about transformation and the boundaries of life.
What Different Jonquil Colors Mean
Jonquils have a narrower color range than standard daffodils. Most are golden yellow, though some cultivars produce white or pale yellow blooms.
| Color | Traditional Symbolism |
|---|---|
| Golden Yellow | Desire, affection, warmth |
| Pale Yellow | Gentle friendship |
| White | Sincerity, devotion |
The intense fragrance adds another dimension to their symbolism. Because the scent is so strong and memorable, jonquils have become associated with desire and longing more than their larger cousins.
How to Tell a Jonquil from a Daffodil
These flowers confuse people constantly. Here are the reliable differences:
| Feature | Daffodil | Jonquil |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Flat, strap-shaped, blue-green | Narrow, cylindrical, dark green (like chives) |
| Flowers Per Stem | Usually one | Clusters of 2-5 |
| Fragrance | Mild or none | Intensely perfumed |
| Corona Shape | Long trumpet, often as long as petals | Shallow cup, less than half petal length |
| Climate Preference | Cooler winters (zones 3-8) | Warmer climates (zones 8+) |
If you are standing in a garden and see clusters of small, powerfully fragrant flowers on stems with round, chive-like leaves, you are looking at jonquils.
Daffodil vs Jonquil: Which Better Fits March Birthdays?
Choosing between these two March birth flowers depends on what message you want to send.
| Characteristic | Daffodil | Jonquil |
|---|---|---|
| Personality Match | Bold, optimistic, outgoing | Romantic, sensual, refined |
| Fragrance | Mild or none | Intense, honeyed, memorable |
| Vase Life | 7-10 days | 5-7 days |
| Color Palette | Yellow, white, orange, pink, bicolored | Golden yellow, pale yellow, white |
| Primary Symbolism | Rebirth, hope, new beginnings | Desire, affection, return of love |
| Best Gift For | Someone starting fresh or needing encouragement | Someone you feel deeply connected to |
Daffodils make the better choice when you want to communicate cheerfulness and support. Their bright trumpets and association with spring give them an upbeat energy appropriate for birthdays or moments when someone needs a boost.
Jonquils carry a more intimate message. Their intense fragrance creates a sense of closeness and desire. If you are celebrating a March birthday for someone you love romantically, jonquils say things daffodils cannot.
March Birth Flowers and Your Zodiac Sign
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Pisces individuals are known for their emotional depth and intuitive nature, often feeling things more intensely than other signs.
The jonquil connects strongly to Piscean energy through its intoxicating fragrance and association with desire. The mythology connecting narcissus flowers to the underworld also resonates with Pisces, a sign comfortable exploring shadowy emotional territory.
Daffodils offer Pisces renewal symbolism that speaks to their capacity for transformation and spiritual growth. As the final sign of the zodiac, Pisces represents endings that become beginnings, which mirrors the daffodil's role as the flower that bridges winter and spring.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Aries individuals are bold, competitive, and prefer directness over subtlety.
The daffodil's bright trumpet shape and cheerful yellow color align naturally with Aries energy. This is a flower that announces itself the moment it appears, pushing through cold soil while other plants wait. Aries shares that quality of charging ahead.
The mythology of Narcissus offers Aries an interesting reflection. The story of a youth destroyed by excessive self-regard serves as a caution worth considering.
For Aries recipients who lean toward refinement, jonquils provide intensity in a different form: the fragrance is powerful rather than passive.
Final Thoughts on March's Birth Flowers
The daffodil shouts from the roadside, bright and impossible to ignore. The jonquil fills a room with perfume before you even see it.
Both announce spring, but they speak to different people. A daffodil suits someone who charges into new seasons headfirst. A jonquil suits someone who lingers over a glass of wine and notices the details others miss.
If you want to explore more about birth flower traditions, I have written guides covering:
For a March birthday, pick based on who they are. The optimist gets daffodils. The romantic gets jonquils. And if you cannot decide, call me at the shop and we can talk it through. Browse our birthday flowers collection to see what is in season right now.
