Narcissus Flower Meaning and Symbolism, and How to Handle It After Blooming

With the Lantern Festival approaching, if you want to place a few seasonal flowers at home, the narcissus (daffodil) is absolutely the best choice. It stands gracefully, with a delicate, elegant fragrance, adding plenty of warmth to the festive atmosphere.

The narcissus (daffodil) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Amaryllidaceae family, with many alternative names, such as Lingbo Xianzi (Fairy on the Waves) and Jinzhan Yintai (Golden Cup on Silver Stand). Its leaves are emerald green and slender, like swords forged from jade, emerging from the base and spreading out in all directions. The flowers send up stems from amid the leaves, with white petals surrounding a yellow corona, just like a golden cup holding a silver stand. The form is exquisite and fresh, with extremely high recognizability among flowers.

The flower language of the narcissus is "longing, reunion"

From planting to blooming, under normal room temperature conditions of 15 - 20°C, water culture takes about 25 - 30days, while soil culture requires 40 - 50days. If you want it to bloom in time for the Spring Festival, you need to plan the planting time in advance.

After the narcissus finishes blooming, don't just throw it away. For water-cultured narcissus, first cut off the faded flowers, then take the bulbs out of the water, rinse them clean with fresh water, let them dry, and bury them in moist sand, placing them in a cool, ventilated spot. In autumn, dig the bulbs out, replant them in flower pots, and care for them normally; they can still grow and bloom again. For soil-cultured narcissus, after the flowers fade, likewise cut off the faded flowers, reduce watering and fertilizing, and let the bulbs slowly recover their strength in the soil. During the summer dormancy period, control water appropriately, then resume normal care in autumn.

Daily care for narcissus is also not difficult. For water culture, choose plump, undamaged bulbs, peel off the brown outer skin, clean up dried roots, place them in a shallow basin, add water to cover one third of the bottom of the bulbs, and change the water every 1 - 2days to keep the water clean. For soil culture, use loose, fertile, well-drained soil. After planting the bulbs, water thoroughly and place them in a sunny spot; water when the soil surface dries out. Narcissus likes light, so ensure 4 - 6hours of light per day, and keep the temperature at 10 - 20°C

In the new year, why not grow a few pots of narcissus, filling your home with fragrance and reaping an abundance of beauty and happiness.