How to Grow Narcissus: Hydroponic and Soil Methods and Daily Care Tips

Narcissus is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Amaryllidaceae family. The common Chinese narcissus (Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis) is planted in autumn and blooms in winter and spring, with fragrant, elegant flowers, and is a traditional ornamental flower for the New Year festival. Commercial bulbs mostly come from Zhangzhou, Chongming and other places. When selecting, choose ones with plump, firm bulbs that feel heavy and have an intact basal root plate.

For home care, hydroponic growing is the most common. First peel off the dry brown outer scales of the bulb, place it upright in a shallow basin, fix it with pebbles, and add water to just near the base of the bulb; do not submerge the entire bulb. In the early stage, change the clean water every one or two days; after rooting, the interval between water changes can be appropriately extended. Clean water quality can reduce root rot and odor.

Narcissus likes sunlight and also has a certain cold tolerance. During the day it should be placed on a sunny, ventilated windowsill or balcony. A temperature of around 10 to 20 degrees Celsius is most favorable for flowering. Insufficient light or too high a temperature easily causes leggy growth, with slender, lodging leaves. Pouring out the basin water at night and giving more sun during the day can make the plant grow shorter and sturdier. Besides hydroponics, it can also be potted in loose sandy soil, with soil covering past the top of the bulb, keeping the soil slightly moist but not waterlogged.

A common problem during care is growing only leaves without flowering, which is mostly related to insufficient nutrients in the bulb, too little light, or too high a temperature. In this case, just replace it with a good bulb and cultivate it again. Also note that the whole narcissus plant contains alkaloids, and the sap must not be ingested. It is recommended to wear gloves when pruning, place it out of reach of children and pets, and do not use the discarded water to irrigate edible plants.