What Is Wrong With My Paperwhite?

Do the leaves have white or brown streaks, foliage is wilted?

Are the leaves curled and distorted?

Are the leaves covered in coarse stippling and may appear silvery?

Did the plant failed to appear, bulbs are soft?

Are the plants stunted and flowers deformed?

Are the plants stunted and yellowed and do the roots have lesions on them?

Plants suffering from viral decline develop white or brown streaks on the leaves late in their growing season. Foliage may wilt and topple over. There is no cure for the decline. Remove diseased plants. Control aphids, which spread decline and other viral diseases

Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

These symptoms indicate thrips. Thrips are tiny, yellow to black flying insects. They hide under the leaves. Severely infected plant parts should be removed and destroyed. Control thrips by introducing lady beetles or lacewings, their natural predators. Insecticidal soap helps in severe infestations.

Narcissus bulb flies and lesser bulb flies lay their eggs at the base of bulb leaves. Larvae hatch and bore into bulbs to feed—usually 1 maggot per bulb in the case of narcissus bulb flies and several per bulb in the case of lesser bulb flies. Their holes admit rot organisms into bulbs. Discard infested bulbs. If bulb flies are a problem in your area, try covering plants with floating row cover during the egg-laying period (late spring). Treat plants weekly with commercial pyrethrin dust if pests have been a problem in past years.

These symptoms are most likely caused by fungal disease - Basal Rot. This disease attacks bulbs when soil temperatures are around 65 to 75°F. Discard any diseased bulbs and avoid infecting healthy ones. Dust bulbs with Benlate before planting them. Dig up bulbs in cool, dry weather, and dry them rapidly. In the event of a serious problem, do not plant paperwhites in the area for 3 years.

Stunted and yellowed plants with roots that have lesions on them are caused by Bulb Nematodes. Bulb nematodes are microscopic, wormlike creatures that attack bulbs. To prevent nematodes mulch regularly with compost to ensure that soil organic matter levels remain high. Heavily infested plants can only be removed and replaced with some other plant species.

Paperwhites not receiving adequate light will grow weak and spindly. The stems won't be able to support the weight of the flowers and will fall over. Place the paperwhite in a bright location or supplement low light situations with artificial light.