A jonquil is a type of spring flower with clusters of small, fragrant yellow or white blossoms. Jonquils belong to the daffodil family, but unlike the large trumpet-shaped daffodils you might see in gardens, jonquils grow several delicate flowers on each stem and fill the air with a sweet scent.

These flowers originated in Spain and Portugal but now grow in gardens worldwide. When poets write about spring arriving, they often mention jonquils alongside crocuses and daffodils as signs that winter has ended.

Jonquils bloom early in spring, sometimes pushing through the last patches of snow. Their cheerful color and pleasant fragrance make them popular for cutting and bringing indoors. If you plant jonquil bulbs in fall, they'll reward you with blooms the following spring, returning year after year without much care.