Paperwhites - 3 Potted Up

Paperwhites
Narcissus

So cute, so dainty, so fragrant! Large trusses of frosty, snow white flowers with an intoxicating scent. In the Victorian language of flowers, Paperwhites mean hope, devotion, and pure, unconditional love.

Paperwhites are wonderful for forcing indoors in winter, combining beauty, fragrance, and easy care. We have potted up 3 premium paperwhite bulbs in classic unglazed terracotta clay pots with a matte finish and topped with several mosses. They are extremely convenient yet thoughtful gifts for someone you love - and that can include yourself!

Easy care: Keep these on the dry side, same as other bulb flowers. They are not terribly fussy, and can live for years in containers. 

Tip: Once they start blooming, if you keep them in a cool (50-65F) location with indirect light, it will lengthen their bloom time.

❤️RCN Staff Favorite - we are growing these in our own homes! 

Plant Nerd: Paperwhites are native to the Mediterranean region. They are not hardy outdoors here in Western North Carolina, however unlike most Narcissus they do not require a chilling period in order to bloom. They are extremely easy to grow indoors. 

Interestingly, if you are growing them in relatively low light conditions indoors this can cause their stems to grow too tall as they search for light. You can provide them with more lighting OR Cornell researchers experimented and discovered that you water Paperwhites using a formula of 1 part 70% rubbing alcohol to 10-11 parts water will help shorten their stems by about 1/3. Scientists don't know the exact botanical reasons for why this happens. If you give higher concentrations than this, you can hurt the plants, so try to stick to that ratio.