Yes, the narcissus Christmas flower tie is strong and gets stronger each year. Paperwhite narcissus now sit right next to poinsettias and amaryllis as a top holiday bloom. Their white petals, sweet scent, and easy indoor growth make them a natural fit for your Christmas setup.
When I first tried growing paperwhites for Christmas, I set three glass bowls on my counter. I filled each one with polished river stones and placed 5 to 6 bulbs in each bowl. I added water just below the bulb bases and waited. By the time we put our tree up in early December, the first bowl was pushing out white flower clusters. In my experience, the whole setup takes less than ten minutes of your time.
The timing is what makes the paperwhite Christmas link so strong. From the moment you set a dry bulb on pebbles, you are about 4 to 6 weeks away from full bloom. Start in early November and you get flowers right when your holiday season kicks off. No other bulb gives you that kind of speed without grow lights, dirt, or plant food.
Forcing narcissus indoors holiday style is about as simple as plant care gets. You don't need soil at all. A bowl, some pebbles or glass beads, and water are your only tools. Place the bulbs pointed-end up on the stones so they sit firm. Add water until it just touches each bulb bottom. Set the bowl in a cool spot near 60°F (15.5°C) with decent light. Your roots will start reaching down within days.
Keep your growing bulbs in bright, soft light once the green shoots hit about 3 inches tall. A window ledge works great if it stays away from your heating vent. Warm air makes the stems grow tall and weak. They will tip over before the flowers open if your room runs too hot. I use a trick to fix this. Add a small amount of rubbing alcohol to your water at a 1 to 7 ratio. This limits stem height without hurting your blooms at all.
Paperwhite Christmas gifts are fun to put together and your friends will love getting them. Grab a nice bowl, a bag of pretty stones, and 3 to 5 bulbs from any garden shop. Wrap the set in clear wrap with a short card that tells your friend how to plant them. The cost runs about $5 to $10 per kit. Your friend gets to watch their gift grow from a plain brown bulb into a fragrant display over the next month.
You can also spread your plantings out so you have blooms the whole season. Start one bowl in late October, a second in mid-November, and a third in early December. Each batch will flower about two weeks apart. That gives you fresh narcissus from late November through New Year's Day. At $1 to $2 per bulb, this is one of the cheapest ways to keep your home full of live flowers all winter.
Read the full article: Narcissus Flower: A Complete Guide
