How to Grow and Care for Paperwhites Indoors (and Make It Feel Like Spring Year-Round)

Take a trip to any botanical garden or plant shop in the winter and you will undoubtedly find paperwhites sprouting from a variety of containers. They’re a hallmark of wintertime decor, and these plants are easy to grow indoors to brighten up a drab space. In order to get paperwhites to bloom indoors during the winter months, you will need to force them. Forcing, by definition, is when a plant is made to flower under artificially created conditions. It’s an easy method that will have you seeing paperwhite blooms in three to six weeks from the start of the process—which means you don’t have to wait until spring planting to start seeing flowers in your home.

Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) are one of the only perennial bulb plants that are native to the Mediterranean region. They are closely related to the common daffodil—and even look similar—and produce small white blooms that are extremely fragrant. Most paperwhites that you find are pure white in color, but it’s possible to find varieties that are shades of orange and yellow. Paperwhites can be grown indoors or outdoors, depending on how temperate the climate is.

It is possible to force paperwhites at any time, but you should keep in mind the time it takes to get them to bloom (two to three weeks). Also keep in mind that the bulbs will not maintain their viability, so you cannot store them past a few months’ time. If you’re looking to purchase bulbs online, your best chance for prime selections will be in the late summer and early fall months. That being said, you will be able to find paperwhites and similar bulbs like amaryllis at local garden centers and home and garden retailers during the winter at very affordable prices. 

There are two different ways you can force your paperwhite bulbs, depending on your aesthetic preferences. These bulbs will just as easily grow in pebbles and water as they will when planted in soil.

1. Choose a container to pot your bulbs in.

2. Place damp potting mix in the container until it is ½ or ¾ full. The level of soil is dependent on your visual preference.

3. Place the bulbs pointy-ends-up on top of the soil. You can place the bulbs close together.

4. Cover the bulbs until only the pointy tips are sticking out of the soil.

5. Water thoroughly.

6. Place the container somewhere in your home that doesn’t get direct sunlight. Leave it there until the bulbs take root—you can check this by gently pulling on the bulb to see if it gives any resistance. This should take two to three weeks. During this time water only when the potting mix is dry to the touch.

7. Once your bulbs have taken root, move the container to a sunny spot. Water only when the soil becomes slightly dry. Once they begin to shoot up, it will only be a week or two before they bloom.

1. Choose a vase or container and layer pebbles along the bottom. You should have a few inches of pebbles built up. (Note: if you like watching your bulbs root, choose a clear container. If you want to keep them hidden, choose a material that is opaque.)

2. Nestle your paperwhite bulbs tip up among the pebbles. Push down gently so that the bulbs are securely sitting in the container.

3. Pour water into the container until the water level sits just under the bottom of the bulbs. Do not let you bulbs stand in water; they will rot.

4. Similarly to bulbs planted in soil, place the container somewhere in your home that doesn’t get direct sunlight. Leave it there until the bulbs take root. You can see the roots growing if you are using a clear container, but if not you can check by gently pulling on the bulb to see if it gives any resistance. This should take two to three weeks.

5. During this time, add water when the level is one inch or less in the container.

6. When the bulbs have rooted, move the container to a sunny spot. Keep an eye on the water level. Once they begin to shoot up it will only be a week or two before they bloom.

Paperwhites generally have fresh-looking blooms for 14-20 days. Once your paperwhite bulbs have produced buds and have begun to flower, move them from the direct light to a spot with indirect light. Hot, direct light will cause the blooms to deteriorate at a faster pace.

While we’re talking about temperature, keep your blooms away from heating elements. This means radiators, portable heaters, and forced air vents. Also don’t expose them to extreme cold—don’t place them near a door the is frequently opened to the outdoors. Temperature extremes will turn the blooms at a much more rapid pace.

Once the blooms begin to die off, either trim or pull them off the plant. If finished blooms are left to sit against still-good blooms, their decay will force a more rapid decline of the newer blooms.

Don’t overwater your bulbs. If they’re planted in a container with stones, keep the water level just under the bulb base. If you’ve planted your paperwhites in soil, water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Overwatering will cause the bulbs to rot and blooms to die quickly.

While other Narcissus varieties are tolerant to freezing temperatures, paperwhites are not. In order for the bulb to stay viable, the night time temperatures should not drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If you think your outdoor temps are too chilly, stick with forcing them indoors.

If you want to grow paperwhites outdoors, you need to plant them in the fall months with your other spring bulbs. You can also force them in pots as you would with indoor bulbs—but do this in an outdoor, sheltered environment, rather than inside.

Technically you can save your paperwhite bulbs and get them to grow and bloom again after a significant period of time (two to three years!). That being said, many people choose to toss or compost their bulbs instead of making the complex effort to try and save them.

There are a few things to keep an eye on when working with paperwhite bulbs. First of all, when grown indoors, paperwhites tend to grow very tall very quickly. This causes them to be unstable when blooming and will more than likely bend or topple in their containers. To prevent this, you can prop them up with a small bamboo stake and some twine. Don’t worry if it happens to you; it happens to lots of folks forcing bulbs indoors.

Another thing to consider is that paperwhites have a very distinct scent. Some people love it, and compare it to the first smells of spring. Others detest it, saying that paperwhite blooms smell like baby wipes. If you’re sensitive to smells, consider forcing mini daffodils or an amaryllis bulb instead.

If you find that your paperwhite bulbs aren’t blooming, or only a few of the bulbs out of many are growing, a few things could be happening. Most likely there was a problem with the bulbs before they came into your possession. Prior to your purchasing they were either stored or delivered incorrectly, or they have some kind of rot. In order for the bulbs to be viable they need to first be warmed so the bulb can come out of dormancy, then cooled to the correct temperature to halt the growing process. If bulbs are frozen or exposed to moisture during storage and transport, the entire growing process is thrown off. Buying from a reputable source will help avoid this problem.

If you choose to force paperwhite bulbs indoors, keep in mind that they are toxic to both dogs and cats. Keep them out of reach of furry friends!