Both the poet’s daffodil and the pheasant’s eye daffodil can withstand a slightly wet to moist soil in winter and spring. It has also tolerated some damp soils in summer as well.


The Poet’s Daffodil

The poet’s daffodil is a species of narcissus. This plant was known in ancient Greece and was mentioned in the medical writings of Theophrastus about 320 B.C. The date of the plant’s introduction to America is unknown. However, it was apparently in cultivation in England in the 1500s.


Comparison of Poet’s Daffodil and Pheasant’s Eye Daffodil

The flowers of the poet’s daffodil resemble those of the pheasant’s eye daffodil. However, the poet’s daffodil bears slightly smaller blossoms.

Both the pheasant’s eye daffodil and the poet’s daffodil feature white petals. However, the petals of pheasant’s eye are almost rounded and form two overlapping layers of three petals each. On the other hand, the poet’s daffodil has larger, more pointed, layered petals.

One major difference in the two flowers is the details of the cups. Pheasant’s eye cup is shallow with a wide red rim and a yellow and green eye.

The poet’s daffodil cups appear much more prominent partly because the cups are larger and deeper. The red rim along the cup’s edge is very narrow. This surrounds the large yellow center with a large green eye.

The poet’s daffodil is just slightly shorter (twelve to fourteen inches tall) than the pheasant’s eye narcissus, which is fourteen to sixteen inches tall. Both bear their blossoms in the spring.


The Pheasant’s Eye Daffodil

Pheasant’s eye daffodil (Narcissus poeticus var. recurvatus) is in Division thirteen of the narcissus. One source said this has been in cultivation since 1796, while another source listed the date as 1850. The plant was originally native to southern Europe.

Recommended for zones three through nine, the pheasant’s eye daffodil is a great choice for naturalizing. The very reliable, long lived plant has flat, long leaves, 1½ feet in length.
noted above.

The pheasant’s eye daffodil bears exquisite blossoms that are sure to grab one’s attention. These are late blooming, usually from late spring in late April and May. With a spicy fragrance, these flowers are two to three inches wide.

With one blossom per stem, pheasant’s eye daffodil features large white reflexed petals. These surround a very shallow, small, flat cup that ranges from yellow to red-orange. With red rims, the cup has a gold and deep green eye. The pheasant’s eye daffodil is named for the unique colorful eye.