IRONTON — The Narcissus plant or commonly named the daffodil, seen as a symbol of vanity in the west and wealth and good fortune in the Far East, the flowering plant got its name from the Greek mythological youth Narcissus who, as the tale goes, died of starvation after gazing endlessly at his own reflection in a pool of water.

From the spot where he died, a single bright, flowering plant with a central trumpet surrounded by six floral leaves emerged.

That flowering plant was the daffodil.

Come forward nearly three millenniums to the city of Ironton and more than one daffodil will be sprouting this spring following an initiative by Ironton In Bloom, the city’s beautification, volunteer group.

In around six months, motorists driving near the triangle area between the westbound and eastbound entrance ramps of State Route 93 and U.S. 52 will be dazzled with a multihued arrangement of flowers following the planting of more than 3,000 wild daffodil bulbs.

Two thousand of the bulbs were rescued from The Point industrial park after being excavated following a geological/anthropological study on the site that would have turned them under.

Allen and Eli Castle of the Shake Shoppe donated an additional 1,000 daffodil bulbs.

Volunteers of Ironton In Bloom, along with Frank Murphy Construction and Boy Scout Troop 106 spent a soggy Saturday morning on Sept. 26 planting as many bulbs as they could before torrential rains delayed the effort.

Planting will continue into the fall months.

The daffodil effort comes at a busy time for Ironton In Bloom. The group recently took advantage of an Ohio Department of Natural Resources grant to cigarette butt containers at both Ironton City Hall and the Lawrence County Courthouse.

Also with the chilliness of the fall season lurking around the corner, Ironton in Bloom is in the process of transitioning their hanging flowering pots with pansies while removing the summer flowers they planted earlier this year.

Those wanting to financially assist the Ironton In Bloom “Plant Pride” effort can send a donation to: Ironton In Bloom, P.O. Box 4599, Ironton, OH 45638.

The organization needs approximately $5,000 in donations to cover its 2009 fundraising goal.