As February transitions into March, the slope next to the Arboretum's entrance road will provide a beautiful display of Daffodil blooms. These plants were donated to the Arboretum several years ago by Marie Compare, who was the leading light behind the planting of more than 2 million Daffodils along the Pellissippi Parkway. Volunteers from the UT Arboretum Society planted the bulbs. Daffodils belong to the Amaryllis plant family (Amaryllidaceae) and are native to southern Europe, the middle East, and North Africa. It is not unusual to find these flowers around old farms and home sites in Tennessee.

All Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus - as many as 40 Daffodil species are known, and over 13,000 hybrids have been recognized. Narcissus flowers have a six-parted perianth composed of 3 sepals and three petals. A distinguishing feature of these flowers is a central corona (or cup) which surrounds the stamens and pistil. The length, shape, and color of the corona is one of the characteristics used to differentiate species and hybrids from one another.

Jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla) are a type of Narcissus distinguished from other Daffodil species by having clusters of 2 or more small yellow flowers and cylindrical leaves. Other Daffodil species have single flowers and flattened leaves.

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