The flower of the month for March is the daffodil, also known as Narcissus. The daffodil is the first sign of spring making it much loved by all. We’ve put together some interesting facts about this flower - read along and see how many you already knew.

1. Daffodils should be given in a bunch as they are believed to bring happiness to the recipient. However, if just a single daffodil is given, it is said to mean misfortune.

2. Daffodils are the birth flower for the month of March (appropriate, right?)

3. The daffodil has many different meanings across the world. In China, daffodils are said to symbolize good fortune. In Japan, this little yellow trumpet means joy and in France, they are a sign of hope.

4. The daffodil is the National Flower of Wales, alongside the leek.

5. Daffodils shouldn’t be displayed with other flowers, this is because they release latex from their stems once they are cut which can shorten the life of other flowers. If you wish to display daffodils with other flowers, you must soak them alone for at least 12 hours. 

6. The bulbs of a daffodil can be poisonous to animals. You should make sure to plant the bulbs where cats and dogs won’t be able to dig them up easily.

7. Although unsupervised ingestion of daffodils can be fatal, modern medicine has used extracts of the flower to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

8. If the conditions are right, a successful daffodil field can bloom for up to 50 years.

9. Daffodils are named after a Greek myth. A nymph called Echo fell in love with a Greek named Narcissus, who told her to leave him alone. She lived alone, heartbroken. Nemesis, the God of Revenge, heard the sad story and lured Narcissus to a pool. He was so distracted by his handsome reflection that he fell in the pool and drowned. Afterwards he turned into the flower.

10. The Romans brought daffodils to Britain. The Romans believed that the daffodil sap would heal wounds. In fact, the opposite is true. Daffodil sap contains sharp crystals to deter animals from eating the flower. This actually irritates the skin rather than heals it.