The March birth flowers are the daffodil and the jonquil. Both are kinds of narcissus, spring bulbs with a central cup set in a ring of six petals. The daffodil has one large yellow or white trumpet on each stem; the jonquil has a cluster of small, sweetly scented flowers. By tradition they stand for rebirth and new beginnings.
What is the birth flower for March?
The daffodil, with the jonquil as its partner. Some charts list only the daffodil, and since a jonquil is a kind of daffodil, the two lists say much the same thing.
Birth flowers were never fixed by any official body. A table printed in the United States in 1913 gave March the violet, which now sits under February. Our guide to birth flowers by month follows how the lists changed.
Type a birth date into the tool to see its flowers, its birthstone, its zodiac sign and the day of the week.
Loading the tool…
Daffodil vs. jonquil: how to tell them apart
"Daffodil" is the everyday name for the whole genus Narcissus, part of the amaryllis family. The jonquil is a single species within it. So every jonquil is a daffodil, but most daffodils are not jonquils.
| Trumpet daffodil | Jonquil | |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Narcissus pseudonarcissus | Narcissus jonquilla |
| Native to | Western Europe | Portugal and Spain |
| Height | 12 to 18 in (30 to 45 cm) | 9 to 12 in (23 to 30 cm) |
| Flowers per stem | One | A cluster |
| Flower | Trumpet as long as the petals or longer | Small cup, deep yellow |
| Scent | Light | Strong and sweet |
| Leaves | Flat straps | Narrow and rush-like |
| Season | Early spring | Mid-spring |
The details come from NC State Extension. The name "jonquil" comes from a Spanish word meaning "little rush," after those thin leaves.
The third name you may meet, narcissus, is simply the Latin name of the genus. The white paperwhite narcissus is one of December's birth flowers.
What do the March birth flowers mean?
The meanings come from the Victorian language of flowers, and the dictionaries of the time did not agree. Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers, printed in London in 1884, treats the three names as three messages.
| Flower | In Greenaway, 1884 | Common reading today |
|---|---|---|
| Daffodil | "Regard" | Rebirth, new beginnings, good luck |
| Jonquil | "I desire a return of affection" | Affection, a wish to be loved back |
| Narcissus | "Egotism" | Good wishes (see December) |
"Egotism" points to the Greek myth behind the genus name. Narcissus was a beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool and pined away beside it, and the flower was said to have grown where he died.
The modern reading has more to do with the calendar. Daffodils are among the first flowers of spring, so they became a sign of rebirth, and they are closely tied to Easter.
A few traditions are recorded by The Old Farmer's Almanac:
- Wales. The daffodil is the national flower and is worn on St. David's Day, March 1. Whoever sees the first daffodil of the season is said to have a prosperous year.
- China. A daffodil that blooms on the first day of the new year is said to bring good fortune.
- A bunch, not one. A bunch of daffodils stands for luck and happiness, while a single flower was thought to bring misfortune.
- Anniversaries. The daffodil is the traditional flower for a 10th wedding anniversary.
All of this is tradition. It says something hopeful about a March birthday and nothing about the person's character.
Are daffodils and jonquils poisonous?
Yes, and this matters more than with most gift flowers.
The ASPCA lists daffodils, jonquils and paperwhites as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. They contain lycorine and other alkaloids. The signs are vomiting, drooling and diarrhea. Large amounts can cause tremors, low blood pressure, convulsions and an irregular heartbeat. The bulbs are the most poisonous part.
NC State Extension adds that the plants are harmful to people if eaten and that handling the bulbs, stems and flowers can cause a skin rash.
- Keep bulbs, pots and vases away from pets and small children.
- Store bulbs well apart from food.
- Wear gloves if your skin reacts to the sap.
- If a pet eats any part of the plant, call a veterinarian. For a person, call a doctor or a poison control center.
Daffodil bulbs were once used in folk remedies. That is history, not a safe use.
How to give March's birth flowers
- A bunch in bud. Daffodils fill the shops in early spring. Buy them with the buds still closed and they open at home.
- A pot of bulbs. A pot of growing daffodils or jonquils can be planted in the garden after flowering and will come back the next year.
- Bulbs in fall. For a gardener, a bag of bulbs to plant in autumn is a gift that flowers on next year's birthday.
- A drawing, print or tattoo design. The daffodil is easy to recognize in outline: six flat petals and a flared trumpet in the middle. A jonquil is drawn as a small spray of several flowers.
- With the stone. March's birthstones are aquamarine and bloodstone, and pale yellow daffodils look fresh beside blue. See our March birthstone page.
How to keep daffodils fresh and grow your own
University of Illinois Extension gives these basics for cut flowers:
- Buy daffodils at the bud stage.
- Trim about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the stems with a clean, sharp knife or shears.
- Use a clean vase and remove any leaves below the water line.
- Change the water every two to three days.
- Keep the vase cool, at 65 to 72°F (18 to 22°C), away from heaters and direct sun.
To grow them, plant the bulbs in fall, about six weeks before the first hard freeze, in sun or partial shade and soil that drains well. After flowering, remove the spent flower heads but leave the leaves until they turn brown; they feed next year's bloom. The clumps spread and return every spring.
Next in the calendar: April's daisy and sweet pea. Before it: February's violet and primrose.