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Plant Library

houseplant

Paperwhites

Narcissus papyraceus

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Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) at American Plant

Paperwhites in bloom

Paperwhites in bloom

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  16 inches

Spacing:  5 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Other Names:  Paper Whites

Description:

This lovely plant produces clusters of tiny white blooms at the end of its stems for several weeks; a very showy presentation for indoor containers and baskets

Features & Attributes

Paperwhites has masses of beautiful clusters of fragrant white star-shaped flowers with buttery yellow eyes at the ends of the stems from late winter to mid spring. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its grassy leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the year.

This is an herbaceous houseplant with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other indoor plants with less refined foliage. This plant may benefit from an occasional pruning to look its best.

Planting & Growing

When grown indoors, Paperwhites can be expected to grow to be about 14 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. This houseplant will do well in a location that gets either direct or indirect sunlight, although it will usually require a more brightly-lit environment than what artificial indoor lighting alone can provide. It does best in average to evenly moist soil, but will not tolerate standing water. The surface of the soil shouldn't be allowed to dry out completely, and so you should expect to water this plant once and possibly even twice each week. Be aware that your particular watering schedule may vary depending on its location in the room, the pot size, plant size and other conditions; if in doubt, ask one of our experts in the store for advice. It is not particular as to soil type or pH; an average potting soil should work just fine.

There are many factors that will affect the ultimate height, spread and overall performance of a plant when grown indoors; among them, the size of the pot it's growing in, the amount of light it receives, watering frequency, the pruning regimen and repotting schedule. Use the information described here as a guideline only; individual performance can and will vary. Please contact the store to speak with one of our experts if you are interested in further details concerning recommendations on pot size, watering, pruning, repotting, etc.

-- THIS IS A HOUSEPLANT AND IS NOT MEANT TO SURVIVE THE WINTER OUTDOORS IN OUR CLIMATE --

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Container  Basket 
Applications
Flowers 
Ornamental Features