Oakville Farm Daylily Blog

Narcissus Flower (aka Paperwhites) ...

I remember Paperwhites blooming in several rooms at my Grandmother's houses during the Christmas season. A white color of splashed throughout the house was so elegant. Blooming paperwhites placed on a dining room table, in the center of a Christmas display or in several containers on the mantle. And the fragrance was nice ... extra bonus, ya know.

Have you ever received paperwhite bulbs as a gift? Paperwhites are a good bulb that bloom indoors. They can be planted outdoors in living in Zone 7 or lower during the spring, however for our discussion, want to present them as a pretty seasonal plant.

Forcing them to bloom indoors is as simply as placing them in a glass jar held up with rocks. No soil required! And the fragrant blooms will appear in as little as three weeks.

Found this info on Narcissus (Paperwhite bulbs). Hope you enjoy.

Paper whites (Narcissus papyraceus, a sub-species of Narcissus tazetta) are popular indoor plants for winter and the holiday season. Unlike other narcissus, paper whites don't require a chilling period, so forcing them is as easy as putting the bulbs in water and waiting. The fragrant flowers bloom within about 3 weeks of planting, for almost instant gratification.

How to Force Paper Whites

Paper whites are the original “Just Add Water” plant. While paperwhite bulbs can be planted in soil, more commonly they are grown in pots or dishes with some stones or marbles to anchor them in place and a little water.

1. Select a container that is about 3 - 4 inches deep (8 - 10 cm) and that has no drainage holes.

2. Spread an inch or 2 of stones, marbles or even gravel, along the bottom of the container.

3. Position your paper white bulbs, pointed end up, on top of the stone layer. Go ahead and squeeze them in. They not only look better in a large group, the tight fit will help keep them from toppling over.

4. Add another layer of stones to fill in any gaps and cover the bulbs up to their shoulders. The pointed tips should still be showing.

5. Add water so that the level just reaches the base of the bulbs. Allowing the bottom of the bulb to sit in water will stimulate growth. Covering the entire bulb with water could cause it to rot.

6. The bulbs don’t need light at this point and they prefer to be kept on the cool side, at about 65 degrees F (18 degrees C.)

7. Check your bulbs daily to see if they need more water.

8. When you see roots developing, move the container to a sunny window. The sunnier the better, but try not to let them get too warm or they’ll grow leggy.

9. Once the plants flower, they will last longer if moved out of direct sunlight, to a cool spot with indirect or diffused light.

You can start pots of paper whites every couple of weeks, for a continuous display throughout the winter.

A splash of color in your Christmas display gives us a sense of Mother Nature and longing for the spring to come. So, hope you will indulge just a bit!

Remember to keep your daylily list handy, our Oakville Farm website will be up and running in the near future. Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.