Double Daffodil PINK MALLEE, fall planting bulbs

The Mallee Pink Daffodil, commonly referred to as the Butterfly Daffodil, is a distinctive and striking variety. Its broad bloom and ruffled pink center create a remarkable garden feature. The flowers exhibit a gradual color transition, initially presenting a shimmering apricot hue with a yellow center before softly fading to a delicate blush pink. 

Flowers: The 4-inch-wide flowers feature a pure white outer perianth, or petals, surrounding a flouncy, frilly split-cup.

Color: The center of the flower starts as a shimmery apricot tone with a yellow base before fading to a soft blush or salmon-pink. Because direct sunlight can bleach the delicate pink tones, it is best to plant in a spot with filtered light.

Height: Mallee daffodils grow to a mature height of 12 to 16 inches. 

Growing information

• Planting time: Plant bulbs in the fall, from September through November, for blooms in mid-spring, around April.

• Hardiness zones: The bulbs are suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8.

• Sunlight: Mallee daffodils thrive in full sun to partial shade.

• Soil: The bulbs prefer well-drained soil. They should not be left in soggy or waterlogged ground, which can cause them to rot.

• Planting depth: Plant bulbs about 6 inches deep.

• Spacing: Space bulbs 3 to 6 inches apart to allow for spreading.

• Care: The plants are perennials that will multiply over time and may need to be divided every 3–5 years. 

Other features

• Toxicity: All parts of the daffodil, especially the bulb, are toxic to pets.

• Wildlife resistance: Daffodils are naturally deer-resistant and generally not bothered by pests.

Uses: The Mallee daffodil is suitable for flower beds, containers, cut flower arrangements, and naturalizing areas

Naturalizing

Daffodils are well suited to naturalizing in areas of lawn or rough grass. When planting in grass, try not to lay out the bulbs too neatly as this spoil the natural effect, use a bulb planter to remove a core of turf, before placing the bulb inside and covering back over. Take care not to mow these areas of grass until June or July to allow the foliage to die down and build the bulb up for next year.

In containers

All Daffodils can be grown in containers, the same rules apply as for planting in the ground, planting about 10cm (4in) deep. When growing daffodils in pots, they can be placed much closer together than normal, to give a fuller display. Space them about one bulb-width apart.

Dead-head after flowering

If you didn't use your daffodils for cut flowers, it's a good idea to dead-head them once the flowers fade. This prevents the plants wasting energy forming seeds; and prevents daffodil blindness which is when the leaves appear each spring but the plants do not flower.