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19 Facts About Daffodils

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19 Facts About Daffodils

19 Facts About Daffodils

Here are some facts you may not know about these cheerful blooms of spring.

  • The daffodil is also known as Jonquil, Narcissus, Paperwhite, and the ‘Poet’s Hower’.
  • Narcissus is a classical Greek name in honor of a beautiful youth who became so entranced with his own reflection that he pined away and the gods turned him into this flower.  (Daff Seek, official photo database of the American Daffodil Society)
  • Squirrels will not eat daffodil bulbs, the bulbs and leaves contain poisonous crystals that only certain insects can eat with impunity, so don’t plant where dogs like to dig. (American Daffodil Society)
  • Poultry keepers thought the flower to be unlucky and disallowed it in their homes, as they believed it would stop their hens from laying eggs. (Funflowerfacts.com)
  • Scientists have discovered narciclasine, a natural compound found in daffodil bulbs, may be therapeutic in treating brain cancer.
  • Daffodils contain a toxic sap which is harmful to other flowers. When arranging in a vase don’t mix with other flowers unless the daffodils have been soaking in water for 24 hours. Do not recut the stems as it will re-release the toxin. (Funflowerfacts.com)
  • The ancient Romans cultivated them extensively, though daffodils became a forgotten flower till 1600. Sometime around 1629, a few Englishmen took the daffodil out of the weeds and gave it a place in the garden. (Onlinegardeningtips.com)
  • The daffodil is the flower for March.  (Gonetopot.com #7-12)
  • The Romans believed the sap from these flowers had special healing powers.
  • The Daffodil Data Bank accounts for over 13,000 hybrids, and apart from the regular yellow kind, there are others which come in a range of color combinations, like yellow and orange, yellow and white, orange and white, lime-green and pink colors.
  • In the Victorian days, Daffodils represented chivalry. Today it represents hope.)
  • In Wales, it is traditional to wear a daffodil on Saint David’s Day (March 1).
  • The daffodil is the national flower of Wales.
  • Their botanic name is narcissus, daffodils are sometimes called jonquils, and in England, because of their long association with Lent, they’re known as the “Lent Lily.”( Teleflora #14-18)
  • In Wales, it’s said if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth.
  • Chinese legend has it that if a daffodil bulb is forced to bloom during the New Year, it will bring good luck to your home.
  • The Daffodil is the 10th wedding anniversary flower
  • A gift of daffodils is said to ensure happiness.
  • Always remember to present daffodils in a bunch – the same legends that associate this cheerful flower with good fortune warn us that when given as a single bloom, a daffodil can foretell misfortune.

Daffodil Gifts for the Garden Fan

Learn facts about daffodils and find fun fun gardening gifts with yellow spring flowers. Perfect for the person who loves flower gardens and wants to decorate their home with bright spring flowers.

More Facts About Daffodils


Katy Perry’s Video and the Marines Corps

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What do Katy Perry and the Marines have in common? In reality, very little. But in Katy Perry’s video, All of Me I am just very pleased to see that she chose the United States Marines to represent the military. The follow-up interviews on MTV show she gained a great deal of respect for our Marines and that I applaud.  She may have been inspired to film at Camp Pendleton since she performed at Pendleton in 2011.

Don’t know what my Marine sons would think, I’m sure my oldest would say a lot. That’s a tease and a challenge to see if he even reads my blog, he was in Afghanistan when this was filmed. My other son who was stationed at Camp Pendleton just missed being there for the filming, I bet he would think it’s cool. (another challenge)

What do you think Katy Perry’s video? Does it inspire? Cheapen? Motivate? Should the Marines use it as their new recruiting video?

I’ve had several people comment to me on Twitter about this video so I thought I would add in the interviews behind the video to give some more background on how she feels about the military and what the men and the respect she has for the men and women in the Marine Corps. Regardless of inaccuracies in the video she wasn’t a prima dona on set.

The Making of the Katy Perry Video, All of Me

The videos below is a four part series highlighting the behind the scenes making of the video.

Yes, the video is full of inaccuracies, women don’t have to cut their hair to be Marines, they don’t bind their chest, you don’t receive your name on your uniform when you arrive, and women train at Paris Island during boot camp and not Camp Pendleton. But Sand Diego is just a hop skip and a jump from Hollywood, hence why MCRD SD Marines are called “Hollywood Marines.
But, it is a very well produced video that inspires women to stand on their own, take charge of their own life. Ok, she’s a little implusive and maybe breaking up with a boyfriend isn’t the best reason for joining the military or the Marine Corps. At least she is not pining away and curled up in a ball like it’s the end of the world either. Oh, right, that’s the series Twilight.
Anyhow, let me know what you think of the video, the Marines, or anything in particular. You might be surprised when you watch the videos and listen to a pop culture stars impressions of the Marine Corps and the military really are, instead of reading them in social media.

Military Perspective on Katy Perry’s Video

Pop media interviews on Katy Perry’s Video All of Me

Moon Venus Conjuncture

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Twice this month my friend Beth and I have gone into a cornfield to take pictures of the Moon, Venus and Jupiter conjuncture. In layman’s terms it’s when the two planets share the same space with the moon.

Our favorite barn serves as a backdrop, yet both nights we had weather challenges. The first night was so cold our fingers froze. Tonight the wind was blowing 30 mph. Here’s what I got, may not be technically perfect, but I accomplished a goal. I learned how to take a bulb shot on my Canon ES Rebel.

Moon, Venus and Jupiter together in the western sky
Moon, Venus and Jupiter together in the western sky

The sky was hazy and cloudy, made for a difficultly viewing the moon, but did create a wonderful sunset.

Moon, Venus and Jupiter conjuncture
Moon, Venus and Jupiter conjuncture


The photo below was taken the end of February, note the position of the moon and planets is now a little northward and Venus is closer to the moon.

Moon, Venus and Jupiter together in the night sky
Moon, Venus and Jupiter together in the night sky

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#12/52: Spring in March? So Soon?

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I don’t ever remember wearing shorts in March, not in Nebraska anyway. But when the temperature reaches into the 80’s the winter not only do the white legs come out, but the trees start blooming.

A photographer client told me last week he had just returned from the Smokie Mountains where the cherry blossoms were already at their peak. Six weeks early. By the time the Cherry Blossom Festival arrives there won’t be any flowers.

Not sure what species of tree this is, but it was pretty, and in honor of spring it’s  my photo of the week.

White flowering tree in spring

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Tree Springs to Life in Photoshop

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Tree Springs to life in Photoshop

Sometimes my commute home takes twice as long as I stop and take pictures. Yesterday was no exception as the combination of the sky, clouds and the emerging spring greenery beckoned me more than once to stop the car.

The straight out of camera was just dull and flat. Not nearly what I saw visually with the naked eye. So after adjusting the white balance down from blue to more green in Gimp I then went to work in photoshop.

I first brightened the whole image. Then selected the blues in the sky and copied the results into their own sky layer. From there I adjusted the blue until it was vibrant.

As a result of brightening the foreground grass was blown out. To fix I color selected browns from the foreground and copied into a new layer. This layer I darkened. In actuality there are three different exposures in this image. Probably not technically correct, but that’s the result.

A little background on the tree, it’s been one of my favorite vistas on my drive home between Murdock and Elmwood for many years. I’ve often wanted to stop and take a picture against the ever changing Nebraska sky. Now I have an excuse. My goal is to take regular images as the seasons and weather changes, then stitch them together in a time lapse fashion to represent a yearly “life of a tree”.

Has anyone attempted something like this? If so I’d love to see the result.

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