Caring For and Maintaining Your Narcissus (Paperwhite)

Narcissus papyraceus, commonly called Paperwhite, is a popular indoor plant native to Asia and parts of Europe. It produces beautiful and fragrant white blooms during the wintertime, and houseplant enthusiasts enjoy displaying them in their homes during the holidays--they typically bloom between Thanksgiving and New Year's. The Paperwhite bulb can be grown in either soil or containers of small stones and water. We're going to assume that you will be caring for your Paperwhite in soil.

 Sunlight: Bright indirect sunlight. Keep out of direct sunlight.

 Water: Water when the top 1" of the soil surrounding the plant becomes dry. Overwatering will cause the bulb to rot. Narcissus does not like soggy soil.

 Humidity: Narcissus grows best when the humidity ranges from 50-55%. To help create a more humid environment for your Narcissus, consider adding a fine mist humidifier to the room(s) in which you have your Narcissus. You can also place trays filled with stones and water nearby your Narcissus to increase local humidity. Misting your Narcissus with a hand sprayer will also help raise the local humidity level.

 Temperature: Narcissus loves cooler temperatures in the range of 50-65 degrees F (10-18 degrees C). Temperatures higher than 65 degrees F will prevent the plant from fully maturing and the plant may become a bit leggy.

Soil: Use a well-draining potting mix. We recommend either Fertilome or Fox Farm Potting mix.