9 Plants You Should Never Grow Next to Daffodils, Warn Gardening Experts

Daffodils are one of the most iconic spring blooms, but be careful what you plant nearby.

daffodils against the blue sky
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Minh Hoang Cong / 500px / Getty Images

Daffodils are among the most popular springtime flowers thanks to their bright, cheerful blooms and ability to withstand unexpected frosts. That said, not every plant likes sharing the same flowerbed with daffodils. Growing incompatible plants next to daffodils can harm both the daffodil bulbs and their neighbors, hindering growth and potentially leading to plant death. To ensure the health of your spring garden, we asked gardening experts to share the plants you should never grow next to daffodils.

  • Jennifer Cassels, gardener and the president of The Blissful Place, a retailer of
    outdoor décor and gardening items
  • Caleb Young, botany expert and CEO of Rare Indoor Plants, a provider of hard-to-find houseplants
01 of 09

Sunflowers

small elf sunflowers
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Clearphotov / GETTY IMAGES

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are just as cheerful-looking as daffodils, but these two flowers don’t do well together. “Sunflowers are heavy feeders and may deplete the soil of the nutrients required by daffodils to thrive,” says Jennifer Cassels, a gardener and the president of The Blissful Place. “Their tall, dense growth can also block sunlight, which can weaken daffodil bulbs.”

02 of 09

Winter Jasmine

Winter jasmine blooming in a garden
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Penpak Ngamsathain / Getty Images

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) and daffodils can be grown as winter container plants, but sharing the same soil can cause problems. “Winter jasmine is not absolutely incompatible with daffodils, but it can pose challenges as a companion plant since it tends to grow to an oppressive height and width that can overshadow smaller daffodil varieties, such as the Bridal Crown," says Cassels.

03 of 09

Maple Trees

Red Maple tree (Acer rubrum) in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan. Red Maple can turn red, orange, and yellow in autumn.
Credit:

Ed Reschke / Getty Images

Planting daffodils at the base of trees can look beautiful, but it’s best to avoid planting these bulbs directly under maples (Acer). “Maples tend to compete with daffodils for water and nutrients, which makes it difficult for the daffodils to grow,” says Cassels. The maple tree's roots might also impede the growth of the bulbs, preventing them from returning year after year.

04 of 09

Roses

blooming red rose bush against blue sky
Credit: magicflute002 / Getty Images

Though daffodils and roses (Rosa spp.) can coexist, it’s hard for them to thrive next to each other. “Roses flourish and bloom beautifully in well-drained soils that are rich in nutrients and require constant fertilization,” says Cassels. In contrast, daffodils prefer soil with lower nutrient levels.

05 of 09

Tomatoes

Tomato plants growing in garden
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ZoiaKostina / GETTY IMAGES

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), like most vegetables, are incompatible with daffodils. “Annual vegetables like tomatoes compete heavily for nutrients and water, which can hinder daffodil growth,” says Cassels. But more importantly, daffodils contain toxic compounds, such as lycorine, which can pose a risk if accidentally ingested.

06 of 09

Tulips

double tulips in purple, pink, white, and red and white stripes in garden with green stems and leaves
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lesichkadesign/Getty Images

These springtime bulbs seem like a great companion plant for daffodils—but don’t be fooled. According to Caleb Young, CEO of Rare Indoor Plants, tulips (Tulipa) are heavy feeders like daffodils, so they will likely compete for nutrients if planted next to each other.

07 of 09

Ivy

ivy in various shades of green
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Schon / Getty Images

Ivy (Hedera helix) is a fast-growing, dense creeper that will quickly cover and block light to daffodil bulbs, says Young. In general, it's best to grow ivy in containers as it can be invasive in many regions and may take over your landscape.

08 of 09

Onions

onions growing in a garden
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YuriyS / Getty Images

The bulbs of daffodils look like onion bulbs (Allium cepa), and untrained eyes may mistake one for the other during harvesting. “This could lead to accidental ingestion of toxic daffodil bulbs,” Cassels warns. “Therefore, it’s best to plant onions and daffodils separately.”

09 of 09

Hyacinths

plashes of pinks and purple of Hyacinths look particularly lovely with greens and yellow daffodils in the background.
Credit:

Katrin Ray Shumakov / Getty Images

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are another popular springtime flower, but they shouldn’t be planted next to daffodils. “Hyacinths and daffodils will compete for nutrients and space, and they also have different growing requirements,” says Young.

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