How Fast Can Paperwhites Grow?

Choosing Healthy Bulbs

• Paperwhites can go from dormant bulb to flower in 2 to 6 weeks if a number of conditions are present. Choosing firm, healthy bulbs is the first step, so it is preferable to buy bulbs that you can see and feel, rather than those that are boxed. Choose large bulbs, if possible, for these will yield two or more bloom stalks. Bulbs that have offsets--that is, a main bulb with one or more small bulbs attached--also produce more flowers.

Growth Rate Differs with the Cultivar

• Some cultivars of paperwhites grow more rapidly than others. "Ziva" and "Gallilee" are the most commonly sold paperwhites for good reason: both grow reliably and usually produce blooms in 2 to 6 weeks. "Grand Soleil d'Or" can take as long as 8 weeks to bloom, but its bright gold color and less overpowering fragrance are a nice change from the white, heavily scented paperwhites that are more commonly available.

Growing Conditions

• How paperwhites are grown plays a significant role in the speed with which they produce flowers. Warm daytime conditions (70 degrees Fahrenheit) and strong sunlight produce the fastest growth, especially if night temperatures do not dip below 60 degrees. Proper watering is equally important. Whether they are potted in soil or small pebbles, paperwhites will rot if the bulbs are too wet. Those potted in containers without drainage holes are the most vulnerable to over-watering. Keeping the bulbs too dry, or unevenly watered, also has a negative impact on growth rate.

Length of Storage

• Garden centers usually sell paperwhites between September and late January or early February. Once purchased, the bulbs may be stored in a cool, dry location until early winter, if desired. Those planted earlier in the season, in autumn, take longer to bloom than those planted later. Paperwhites planted in February, for example, may bloom in two weeks, and often at a shorter height than those planted earlier.