During the holiday season, plants often play a central role in our decorations. While poinsettias, Amaryllis, holly, holiday cacti, and evergreens receive much of the attention during the holidays, paperwhites also appear in many stores. These easy-to-grow plants with delicate white blooms make them a popular choice for holiday decorations.
What are paperwhites?
Paperwhites are a type of daffodil (they are often referred to as paperwhite narcissus). There are two species commonly referred to as paperwhites: Narcissus papyraceus and N. tazetta. Both are native to Europe and the Mediterranean region, with N. tazetta extending into Asia.
Unlike many other daffodils, these species will produce multiple flowers per stalk. They also don't have a chilling requirement like many other bulbs, making them ideal candidates for forcing indoors. Unfortunately, they are only hardy to zone 8, so they are typically treated as annuals in Illinois.
Choosing your bulbs
As with all bulbs, select firm, healthy bulbs to get the best results without any signs of mold or damage. Larger bulbs generally produce more flowers, so opt for the biggest ones you can find.
There are many paperwhite varieties available with a variety of different petal and cup colors. The most widely grown is 'Ziva,' which has pure white flowers (petals and cups). Some other varieties available include:
- 'Bethlehem' - creamy white petals with a pale-yellow cup
- 'Galilee' - pure white flowers
- 'Grand Soleil d'Or' - yellow petals with an orange cup
- 'Inbal' - pure white flowers
- 'Wintersun' - white petals with a yellow cup)
Paperwhites are often marketed as fragrant, but some varieties, like 'Ziva,' can have a rather strong, musky fragrance that some people may find objectionable. Fortunately, some varieties have less or a more pleasing scent, such as 'Inbal,' 'Wintersun,' and 'Grand Soleil d'Or.'
Planting and growing paperwhites
Paperwhites are typically grown one of two ways, like 'typical' plants in a pot with soil or in pebbles or rocks with water. Regardless of how you grow them, paperwhites are typically planted close together, an inch or so apart, to create dense plantings.
When growing paperwhites in pots, fill the pot with potting soil about 2/3 full. Then, place the bulbs in the pot and cover them so that only the tips of the bulbs are visible. Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist.
Another popular way to grow paperwhites is in shallow bowls filled with gravel or decorative stones, although any container that can hold water can be used. To do this, partially fill the container with gravel/stones (at least 1-2 inches deep), then place the bulbs on top. After placing the bulbs, add more gravel/stones to help hold them in place (leave the tips of the bulbs exposed). Then, fill the container with water until it touches the bottom of the bulbs, and keep the water at this level. Do not immerse the bulbs in water.
After they have been potted, paperwhites can be placed in a cool location (50-60°F) for a week or two to help encourage root growth. Then, move the container to a warm (low 70s°F) area with bright light (windowsill or supplemental lighting). As the flower buds begin to swell and open, the container can be moved to a cooler location out of direct sunlight to help prolong the life of the flowers.
Paperwhites typically bloom 4-6 weeks after they have been planted. If you want to have plants continuously bloom throughout the winter, paperwhites can be planted every 10 days.
My paperwhites are flopping; what can I do?
One common problem with paperwhites forced indoors is that their flower stalks will often flop. There are several things you can do to prevent this:
- Provide as much light as possible so plants aren't 'reaching' for light. Also, containers should be placed in an area with cooler temperatures (60s°F) to help prevent lanky growth.
- Flower stalks can be staked if they begin to flop.
- Researchers at Cornell University have found that adding alcohol to the water that paperwhites are grown in can reduce the heights of plants by 1/3 - ½, but will still have the same size flowers, fragrance, and longevity. To do this:
- Start paperwhites in water as described above.
- Once shoots are 1-2", pour the water out of the container and refill with a solution of 4-6% alcohol. This can be made from rubbing alcohol or almost any 'hard' liquor (gin, vodka, whiskey, etc.). Continue to use this solution whenever you add water.
- If you use 70% rubbing alcohol, add 1 part alcohol to 11 parts water.
- Many 'hard' liquors are around 40% alcohol, so 1 part liquor to 7 parts water.
- Avoid using beer or wine; the sugars can cause mold and bacterial growth.
- Don't overdo it; too much alcohol in the solution will damage plants.
Good Growing Fact of the Week: While they look similar, the two species have a few differences. N. tazetta has a yellow or orange cup (corona) and 2-8 (up to 15) flowers per stalk, and N. papyraceus has a white cup and 5-15 (up to 20) flowers per stalk.
Photos:
All white paperwhite flowers - "Paper white narcissus" (CC BY 2.0) by Monkeystyle3000
Yellow cupped paperwhite flowers - "Paper white narcissus" (CC BY 2.0) by Monkeystyle3000
Flopping paperwhites - “Paper-White Narcissus” (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Magnus Manske
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MEET THE AUTHOR
Ken Johnson is a Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, serving Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan, and Scott counties since 2013. Ken provides horticulture programming with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable production, pest management, and beneficial insects. Through his programming, he aims to increase backyard food production and foster a greater appreciation of insects