About Narcissus jonquilla L.
Narcissus jonquilla, commonly called jonquil or rush daffodil, is a bulbous flowering species in the daffodil genus Narcissus. It is native to Spain and Portugal, and has become naturalized across many other regions: France, Italy, Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, Madeira, British Columbia in Canada, the U.S. states of Utah, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and the southeastern United States stretching from Texas to Maryland. This species produces long, narrow, rush-like leaves, which gives the plant its common name jonquil; the name derives from Spanish junquillo, from the Latin juncus meaning 'rush'. In late spring, it produces flower heads holding up to five fragrant yellow or white blooms. It is a parent plant of numerous varieties classified in Division 7 of the Royal Horticultural Society's official Narcissus horticultural classification, which includes hybrids and cultivars of N. jonquilla and N. apodanthus that show clear characteristics of both species. N. jonquilla has been cultivated in France since the 18th century; it is considered the strongest Narcissus species used to produce narcissus oil, an ingredient found in many modern perfumes.
