Tulip vs Daffodil
Daffodils come back every year and slowly spread, and deer, squirrels and voles leave them alone, because the bulbs are poisonous. Most tulips are best treated as a one-spring show: the big hybrids flower well the first year and dwindle after, and deer, squirrels and voles all eat them. Tulips have the colours; daffodils have the staying power.
| Tulip Tulipa | Daffodil Narcissus | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 18 in tall, 6 in wide | 16 in tall, 6 in wide |
| Plant | 6 in apart | 6 in apart |
| Zones | 3 to 7 | 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun | Full sun to part sun |
| Soil | Well-drained, average fertility | Well-drained, average fertility |
| Flowers | Late April to mid May; red, pink, yellow, white, purple, orange | Mid April to early May; yellow, white, orange |
| Leaves | Medium, summer-dormant | Fine, summer-dormant |
| Job in a bed | Bulb layer | Bulb layer |
| Pets | Toxic (moderate) | Toxic (moderate) |
| Deer | No record | No record |
| Native | No | No |
| Spread | Low risk | Low risk |
Rows where they differ are marked. Flowering times are for zone 5.
Which to choose
- Choose daffodil for more shade and warmer gardens (to zone 8).
Can they grow together?
Yes: they grow in the same conditions. Beside tulip, daffodil is purple against yellow, opposite each other on the colour wheel, if you choose those colours, in flower together for three weeks. They share full sun and zones 3 to 7.
Read more: all about tulip, and all about daffodil, each with a bed the planner designed around it.