Paperwhites in water: How to sprout bulbs without soil?

Paperwhites are commonly grown in water. While many indoor plants need to be planted in potting mix to thrive, Paperwhites sprout happily in water alone!

To grow Paperwhites in water, plant the bulbs in a vase with some pebbles or use a special bulb vase to hold the bulb over top of the water surface. Paperwhites grown in water tend to make elegant holiday centerpieces or windowsill displays. Some gardeners use a dilute alcohol solution to water the bulbs after sprouting to shorten the mature height of the plants.

Read on to learn all about growing Paperwhites in water!

Paperwhites in water: The basics

Paperwhites are easy to grow in water. These low-maintenance bulbs are happy to grow without any potting soil. Paperwhite flowers do not need added fertilizer or other inputs to bloom indoors as winter houseplants. Planting the bulbs in water is one of the most popular ways to force Paperwhites indoors.

There are two main methods of growing Paperwhites in water. They can be sprouted in a shallow dish planted with pebbles or they can be sprouted in water alone using a bulb vase. Whatever the method, the bottom of the bulb itself should be positioned just above the surface of the water so that the roots can grow downwards into the water reservoir without the bottom of the bulb sitting continuously in water, as this can cause bulb rot.

It generally takes 4-6 weeks for Paperwhites grown in water to bloom. Bulbs that have sat dormant for a longer period tend to bloom more quickly. Bulbs planted in late October may take 6-8 weeks to bloom, while Paperwhites planted around Thanksgiving may only take 4 weeks. Paperwhite bulbs planted in January-February can take as little as 2-3 weeks to bloom.

Paperwhite bulbs are generally discarded after they have bloomed in water. The indoor forcing process does not provide the mineral nutrients and bright outdoor sunlight required for the flower bulb to create blooms for the following years. In Zones 8-11, the bulbs can be planted outdoors, but they likely will not bloom for at least 2 years after being grown indoors in water.

“Paperwhites are the gateway plant for many future gardeners, for nothing could be easier. Pebbles plus water equals blooms in just a few weeks.”

Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening: A Gardener’s Guide to Growing Flowers, from Today’s Favorites to Unusual Varieties, by Matt Mattus

How to grow Paperwhites in water with rocks?

Paperwhite flowers are often planted in pebbles. For this method, you’ll need a growing container that’s about 4″ deep. Shallow glass vases work well, as do tray-like bowls. Deeper containers can also work, especially if you’d like to add lots of pebbles or would like the bulbs to grow up inside the contained space of a tall glass vase. Whatever the depth, the container should not have drainage holes, as there will be standing water inside the vase.

Planting Paperwhites with rocks & water

Add a layer of pebbles to the bottom of the vase, about 1″-2″ deep (or deeper in tall vases). You can use pea gravel, decorative gravel, glass marbles, or even glass beads. Place the Paperwhite bulbs on top of the pebble bed with the pointed end facing upwards. Bulbs planted in this manner can be placed very closely together (but not touching if possible). 4 Paperwhite bulbs tend to fit nicely in a 6″ wide pot. If the bulbs are wobbly, add more pebbles around the sides to hold them upright. Leave the tops of the bulbs exposed.

Add clean fresh water to the vase so that the water is just touching the bottom of the Paperwhite bulbs. Water should not be more than 1/3 of the way up the bulb (at most). Putting too much water in the vase often leads to bulb rot.

Caring for Paperwhites growing in pebbles with water

Check the bulbs each day to watch for sprouts, watch for roots, and observe water levels. Add more water if required just touch the very bottom of the bulbs. Drain and change the water 1-2 times per week to keep it fresh. As roots develop, decrease the water level so that the bulb is not touching the water. Only the roots should be hanging down into the water once they are growing downwards.

Once the green stems are 1″-2″ tall, you may wish to switch out the plain water with a dilute alcohol solution to stunt the growth so the plant is about 12″ tall instead of 16″-18″ tall at maturity. This can help to develop short stocky stems that make the Paperwhites less likely to fall over.

Use rubbing alcohol or clear liquor spirits (vodka or gin) to make a ~5% alcohol solution. If using a 40%-alcohol distilled spirit, use 1 part of the spirit to 7 parts water. For a total of 2 cups of solution, mix 1 ¾ cups of water with ¼ cup of 40% liquor. Do not use sugar-containing alcohol like beer or wine. Do not exceed 10% alcohol in the solution.

When roots and green sprouts start to become visible, move the planted Paperwhites to a bright area. The plants can stay in this spot until they are done flowering, or can be moved out of direct sunlight once they start to bloom to help the flowers last a bit longer on the plant.

How to grow Paperwhites in water alone?

Paperwhite bulbs can be grown in water alone for an elegant wintertime display. These water-grown bulbs are typically quite beautiful when planted as a single bulb in a vase or in a small group of 3-4 bulbs in a larger bulb dish.

Planting Paperwhites in water

The most important aspect of planting Paperwhites in water is to choose an adequate bulb vase. These vases have an hourglass shape that holds the bulb above the water’s surface. This shape allows the roots to access water without having the bulb itself sit in water (which often causes bulb rot). Here are some examples of bulb vases sized for Paperwhites:

• Tall Clear Glass Bulb Vase from Terrain
• Paperwhite Kit with Glass Bulb Vase at Home Depot
• Glass Vase with Paperwhite Bulb from American Meadows

Start by soaking the Paperwhite bulb in clean water for about an hour. Drain and rinse off the bulb before setting it on a cloth to dry. Fill the glass vase with clean fresh water so that the water level is just below the narrowest point in the middle of the vase. Place the bulb into the bulb vase. The bottom of the bulb should be just touching the surface of the water.

Caring for Paperwhites in water

Change the water in the vase every ~3 days. Once roots are visible, do not let the bottom of the bulb touch the water surface. Only the roots should hang down into the water reservoir below the bulb.

As with pebble-grown Paperwhites, growth can be stunted with a dilute alcohol solution. Starting when stems are 1″-2″ tall, switch out the plain water with a ~5% alcohol solution (see the previous section for details).

More about Paperwhite care

FAQs

Resources

• All About Caring For Paperwhites
• Paperwhite Flower: A Lovely Indoor Winter Bloomer
• Paperwhites In Water: How To Sprout Bulbs Without Soil
• Paperwhites For Christmas: Growing White Holiday Blooms
• Joyful Dirt Organic Houseplant Fertilizer
• My Favorite Tools For Caring For Houseplants
• Houseplant Propagation Guides
• Want garden tips, updates, and freebies? Sign up for my newsletter
• My favorite things for houseplants
• Visit My Shop

References

• Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening: A Gardener’s Guide to Growing Flowers, from Today’s Favorites to Unusual Varieties, by Matt Mattus