The name ‘Narcissus’ has two possible origins: In Greek ‘narke’ means ‘numbness’ and refers to the narcotic properties of the plants. In the Greek mythology – Narcissus, a young man – was turned into a flower by the gods when he fell in love with his own reflection.
Narcissi were found growing in the wild in Europe, particularly Spain and Portugal. In the sixteenth century the English and the Dutch in particular became interested in cultivating these lovely spring flowers and even today, they are the leaders in narcissi cultivation.
Daffodil is the name given to the trumpet narcissi, all other members of the family being called narcissi.