Wild Daffodil Bulbs

• Variety: Wild Daffodil or Lent Lily, the small native Daffodil
• Latin name: Narcissus pseudonarcissus
• RHS AGM: Yes
• Sold as: Packs of 25: dry bulbs in autumn, or bulbs in the green in late winter
• Height: Up to 35cm
• Flowers: Pale yellow petals round a deeper yellow trumpet, 4 to 6cm across, in March and April
• Planting: Dry bulbs in autumn, at one and a half to two times their own depth
• Position: Sun or partial shade, in grass or under deciduous trees
• Soil: Most soils that drain, and stay moist in spring
• Native: Yes
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• Delivered: Dry bulbs, from October to December. In the green, from February to April

The Wild Daffodil, or Lent Lily, is the small native Daffodil of old woods and damp meadows: pale yellow petals round a deeper trumpet, up to 35cm tall, in March and April. It is made for naturalising in grass and under trees, as dry bulbs in autumn or in the green in late winter.

Wild Daffodil Bulbs

The wild daffodil or Lent Lily is the ancestor of most of the great and glorious daffodils and narcissi that we see in spring. It brings colour to swathes of woodland and grassland throughout England in the spring. This diminutive daffodil has delicate, paler outer petals that recurve very slightly while its trumpet is slimmer than most daffodils and slightly darker. The overall effect of a clump of these daffs is much more subtle and pretty than some of the more strident varieties.

Browse the rest of our daffodils and narcissi.

Like most bulbs, Narcissus pseudonarcissus do not like sitting in really boggy conditions.
They thrive in most soils with a bit of drainage and require virtually no maintenance. Simply avoid mowing them until their leaves have withered: about 6-8 weeks after the flowers fade.

Please note: these wild bulbs are significantly smaller than other, cultivated daffodils, so don't be surprised to see that a wild bulb is smaller than a "dwarf" daffodil variety.
Also, wild bulbs won't all flower in their first spring: this is normal, and the bulbs that don't flower will have plenty of energy for their second year.

What to do with a wild daffodil

Plant them where they can spread and monopolise an area: under trees, especially an orchard, along a river bank, or just the corner of a lawn where no one sits.

They look truly rustic in a vase, but don't mix them with other flowers because they tend to spoil them faster.
Before you put them into the vase, dip their cut stalks in warm water to remove and stop the goo that forms.

History & Trivia

Known as the Lent or Easter lily due to its flowering time, it's a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, which includes snowdrops (so isn't a true lily).

Planting Companions

For a native spring under trees, follow Wild Daffodils with Wood Anemones and English Bluebells, and start the year with Snowdrops in the green. Our guides cover planting dry Daffodil bulbs and planting Daffodils in the green. A pinch of Rootgrow bulb starter in the hole helps them settle.

Why Ashridge for Wild Daffodil Bulbs?

Ashridge has sold plants since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Wild Daffodils are the native species, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, and not a garden hybrid. Choose dry bulbs, sent from October to December, or bulbs in the green, lifted in leaf and sent from February to April.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do you plant Wild Daffodil bulbs?

Dry bulbs go in during autumn: we send them from October to December. Bulbs in the green are sent from February to April and planted straight away.

How deep do you plant them?

Plant them one and a half to two times the bulb's own depth. These bulbs are small, so that is about 6 to 8cm.

Why are the bulbs so small?

Wild Daffodil bulbs are much smaller than garden Daffodil bulbs, smaller even than most dwarf varieties. That is normal for the species.

Will they flower in the first spring?

Some will and some will not. Wild bulbs often take a year to settle, and the ones that skip a spring flower the next.

Where do Wild Daffodils grow best?

In grass or under deciduous trees, in sun or partial shade. They like soil that stays moist while they are growing, and they hate a bog.

When can you mow over them?

Wait until the leaves have withered, about six to eight weeks after the flowers fade.

When are the bulbs delivered?

Dry bulbs from October to December, and bulbs in the green from February to April. You can order either at any time, and they are sent once their season opens.