March Birth Flower: Daffodil and Jonquil Meaning, Symbolism and Facts

March is the month when the garden wakes up. The days grow longer, the air turns soft, and the first brave flowers open after the long winter sleep.

March has two birth flowers. The daffodil is the main one. The jonquil is the second. Most March birthdays are Pisces. The last part of the month moves into Aries, and spring begins.

Quick Answer

The March birth flowers are the daffodil and the jonquil. The daffodil means rebirth, new beginnings, and hope. The jonquil means desire and affection returned. Together, they bring sunshine, scent, and a fresh start to a March birthday.

Table of Contents

• Daffodil: The Primary March Birth Flower
• Jonquil: March’s Second Birth Flower
• Daffodil vs Jonquil
• Birth Flowers by Month
• How to Grow March Birth Flowers
• Gift Ideas for a March Birthday
• Frequently Asked Questions

Daffodil: The Primary March Birth Flower

The daffodil is the happy face of spring. Its golden trumpet opens early, often while the last cold days are still around.

The daffodil stands for rebirth and new beginnings. It also means hope, respect, and unequalled love — love that has no match. You can read more about the plant family on the narcissus page on Wikipedia, or explore flowers that start with D.

The Flower of Wales

The daffodil is the national flower of Wales. On St David’s Day, March 1, people across Wales wear a daffodil with pride. It blooms right on time for the day.

The daffodil is also a sign of hope around the world. Cancer charities use it as their symbol. In the UK, Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal raises money with the yellow flower, and Daffodil Days do the same in the US and Canada. A daffodil says: there is always hope.

An old Greek story gave the family its name. Narcissus was a young man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool, and the gods turned him into a flower. That flower is the daffodil’s family, the narcissus.

The classic daffodil is golden yellow. But there are many more kinds. Some are pure white. Some have orange cups, and some have cups edged with pink. You can meet the wider family among flowers that start with N.

Daffodil Quick Facts

• Type: bulb perennial. It comes back every spring.
• Planting time: plant the bulbs in fall, for flowers in spring.
• Bloom time: early spring, one of the first flowers of the year.
• Habit: the bulbs multiply under the soil, so a small group grows into a big drift.
• Wildlife: deer and rodents leave daffodils alone.
• Safety: the bulbs are poisonous if eaten, and they look a bit like onions. Store them well away from food.

Jonquil: March’s Second Birth Flower

Many people ask: what is a jonquil? The answer is simple: a jonquil is a close cousin of the daffodil, from the same family. Its true name is Narcissus jonquilla.

Here is the easy way to tell them apart. A daffodil carries one larger flower on each stem. A jonquil carries a cluster of small, deep-yellow flowers on one stem, and its leaves are thin and round, like green rushes.

The jonquil’s real star is its scent. The perfume is rich, sweet, and strong — one of the best in the whole spring garden. It earns the flower a proud place on any list of fragrant flowers. You can also browse flowers that start with J to meet more of its cousins.

The jonquil stands for desire and longing. It also means affection returned — love that is given back.

Jonquil Quick Facts

• Type: bulb perennial, a true type of narcissus.
• Flowers: clusters of small, deep-yellow blooms on one stem.
• Scent: very strong and sweet. A few stems can perfume a room.
• Leaves: thin, dark green, and rush-like.
• Planting time: plant the bulbs in fall, like daffodils.

Daffodil vs Jonquil

Both flowers are cousins, and both bloom in spring. But they are easy to tell apart once you know the trick.

Flower	Type	Flowers per Stem	Scent	Meaning	Best For
Daffodil	Bulb perennial	One larger flower	Mild, fresh	Rebirth, hope, new beginnings	Big spring drifts, bouquets, gifts
Jonquil	Bulb perennial	A cluster of small flowers	Very strong, sweet	Desire, affection returned	Scent, small posies, warm gardens

Birth Flowers by Month

Want the full year at a glance? Here is the birth flower chart for all twelve months.

Month	Birth Flower(s)
January	Carnation & Snowdrop
February	Violet & Primrose
March	Daffodil & Jonquil
April	Daisy & Sweet Pea
May	Lily of the Valley & Hawthorn
June	Rose & Honeysuckle
July	Larkspur & Water Lily
August	Gladiolus & Poppy
September	Aster & Morning Glory
October	Marigold & Cosmos
November	Chrysanthemum & Peony
December	Narcissus & Holly

For the full chart with every month in one place, see our birth flowers chart and guide.

How to Grow March Birth Flowers

Both March flowers grow from bulbs, and both are easy. The one rule to remember is this: you plant in fall, and you enjoy the flowers in spring.

Planting the Bulbs

• Plant the bulbs in fall, before the ground freezes.
• Set each bulb with the pointed end up.
• Dig the hole two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall.
• Choose sun or part shade, with soil that drains well.

After the Flowers Fade

• Let the leaves die back on their own — they feed the bulb for next year.
• Do not cut the leaves while they are still green.
• Every few years, dig up crowded clumps, split the bulbs, and replant them.

One pro tip for cut flowers: daffodil stems leak a sap that can shorten the life of other flowers in the same vase. Keep daffodils in their own vase, or let them sit in water alone for a few hours first, then mix them. Growers in r/gardening on Reddit share more tips like this.

Gift Ideas for a March Birthday

A bunch of daffodils is the classic March gift. It is bright, cheerful, and full of meaning: new beginnings, hope, and a fresh start.

For a gift that lasts, give a pot of daffodil or jonquil bulbs, ready to bloom on a spring windowsill. The scent of jonquils will fill the room.

March’s main birthstone is the aquamarine, a pale blue gem. Pair an aquamarine gift with yellow daffodils, and the two colours feel like spring sky and spring sun. The second March stone is the dark red bloodstone, for a deeper, bolder pairing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the March birth flower?

March has two birth flowers. The daffodil is the main one, and the jonquil is the second. Both grow from bulbs, both bloom in early spring, and both belong to the narcissus family.

What does the daffodil symbolise?

The daffodil symbolises rebirth, new beginnings, and hope. It also means respect and unequalled love. It is the national flower of Wales and a worldwide symbol of hope for cancer charities.

What is the difference between a daffodil and a jonquil?

A daffodil has one larger flower on each stem. A jonquil has a cluster of small, deep-yellow flowers on one stem, with thin rush-like leaves. Jonquils also have a much stronger, sweeter scent.

What is March’s birthstone?

March has two birthstones. The main one is the aquamarine, a pale blue gem that pairs well with yellow spring flowers. The second is the bloodstone, a dark green stone with red spots.

When do you plant daffodil bulbs?

Plant daffodil and jonquil bulbs in fall, before the ground freezes. They need the cold of winter to bloom well in spring. For more views, see questions about the March birth flower on Quora.