- Botanical name: Narcissus papyraceus
- Common name: Paperwhite narcissus
- Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Plant Type: Bulb
White
Green
- Key features:
- Scented flowers
- Prefers rich soil
Paperwhite narcissus, Narcissus papyraceus, is the strongest-scented narcissus. It’s traditionally used as a cut flower or forced for use on table displays in winter, where its incredible fragrance fills the home for weeks. Each stem bears up to 10 pure white flowers.
For outdoor cultivation, plant Narcissus papyraceus bulbs in containers or open ground in autumn as you would other narcissi. If forcing the bulbs for indoor use, plant them in a vase or shallow bowl on top of a layer of gravel. Add water to reach the top of the gravel layer only. The bulbs will happily grow and flower without soil, and may be planted into the garden for the following year, after they have flowered.
How to grow Narcissus papyraceus
-
Plant size
35cm height
15cm spread
-
Aspect
East facing, south facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Front
- Sun exposure: Full sun, dappled shade, partial shade
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy / clay / heavy / moist / chalky / alkaline
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do not Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do Plant in September |
O
Do Plant in October |
N
Do Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does flower in March |
A
Plant does flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Divide | ||||||||||||
| Divide |
J
Do not Divide in January |
F
Do not Divide in February |
M
Do not Divide in March |
A
Do not Divide in April |
M
Do not Divide in May |
J
Do Divide in June |
J
Do not Divide in July |
A
Do not Divide in August |
S
Do not Divide in September |
O
Do not Divide in October |
N
Do not Divide in November |
D
Do not Divide in December |
Narcissus papyraceus and wildlife
Narcissus papyraceus has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Narcissus papyraceus poisonous?
Narcissus papyraceus can be toxic.
Toxic to Cats
Toxic to Dogs
Toxic to Horses
Toxic to People
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Livestock
Plants that go well with Narcissus papyraceus
