©American Daffodil Society, 2001: The Eight Judging Criteria for Judging Daffodils in the Horticulture Division

Condition—20 points

The bloom should be fresh, clean, free of dirt, and free of evidence of disease. It should be at its peak of development. Faults against condition include bruises, tears, dirt spots, severe mutilation or removal of the spathe, translucence of the perianth segments, burning of the edge of the corona caused by sun or wind, browning of the anthers, pollen in the cup. If a stem with

multiple florets has many unopened florets, a penalty in proportion to the number of unopened florets should be assessed, as the bloom is immature. The exhibitor has control over the condition of the flower being exhibited.

Form—20 points

Form is the shape of the flower. The ideal shape of the flower is determined primarily by the division to which it belongs. Blooms in Divisions 1-3 and 9 and 11 should have perianth segments which lie flat and overlap. Blooms in Division 6 should have a significantly reflexed perianth. Cultivars in Divisions 5, 7, and 8 normally have more than one bloom per stem, though there are exceptions. Doubles in Division 4 should have the segments evenly distributed throughout the bloom. Perianth segments may be shovel shaped, pointed, or oval; corona may be heavily ruffled or frilled at the edge, but the overall outline should be round. Faults against condition include twisted perianth segments; petals (the inner three segments) which lean forward, sometimes described as “wingy;” “mitten thumbs” caused by a segment getting caught in the cup as the flower develops and opens (most often visible from the back); an oval or triangular outline to the cup; missing or extra perianth

segments. If a stem with many florets has one floret with missing segments, the penalty assessed should be in relation to percentage of florets having the defect. Form is what the flower is born with. An exhibitor can sometimes flatten a “wingy”

flower, or coax an oval cup into round, but has no control over missing perianth segments or mitten thumbs.

Color—15 points

The color in a daffodil bloom should be characteristic of the cultivar and should be clear and clean. A white perianth should be pure white and not a greyish or yellowish white. Faults in color include muddy color, and streaking or mottling in the cup or perianth. Always examine the backs of the flowers, as sometimes doubles have green streaks on the back perianth segments, a fault which merits a penalty. If the green is associated with deformed perianth segments, the penalty would be more severe. Judges should remember that the color can be paler or more intense in a flower, depending on the weather conditions. A cool, moist season will give deeper colors. Also, color may change as the flower matures.

Pose—10 points

Pose refers to how the bloom is held in relation to the stem. For Divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, and 11, the ideal pose for the bloom should be at a right angle to the stem or slightly above. In Division 6, the flower should turn downward to some extent. In Division 5, the flowers should be pendent. In multi-floreted cultivars where the florets are not pendent, the florets should be spaced equidistant without undue crowding. “Axis balance” is a fine point in pose and refers to the alignment of the perianth segments with the stem. In ideal “axis balance,” a straight line drawn through the tip of the topmost perianth segment and the bottom perianth segment will align with the stem. No more than ½ to one point may be deducted for lack of “axis balance.”

Stem—10 points

The stem should be straight and in proportion to the size of the flower. Twisting of a stem should be penalized only if the ridges which run up the sides of the stem indicate a twist of more than one quarter turn. An overly long pedicel (neck) may be grounds for a moderate penalty.

Size—10 points

Size of the cultivar should be typical for the cultivar in the area in which it has been grown. Size tends to be larger in climates with long, wet springs than those with short, dry springs.

Substance—7-1/2 points

Substance refers to the thickness of the tissue. A loss of substance that causes translucence is a serious fault and is penalized either under condition or substance, but not both. Thinness can also be caused by poor culture, or because it is a characteristic of the cultivar.

Texture—7-1/2 points

Texture refers to the surface of the tissue. Ideal texture would be a silken smooth surface, free of all ribs or ridges. Some cultivars have a sheen, or a “diamond dusting” which is a merit. Crepey texture is less than ideal.