Narcissus tazetta

Paper white, Paper White

Family: Amaryllidaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Paper white is a naturalized perennial found in southern California coastal areas, San Francisco Bay region, northern Channel Islands, western Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in disturbed places and former home sites at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering in spring, this plant produces very fragrant white to cream flowers with a yellow ruffled crown 5 to 10 millimeters wide, arranged in clusters with spreading perianth parts. Growing with slender stems 25 to 45 centimeters tall, it emerges from a bulb 4 to 6 centimeters wide with pale to dark brown protective coats. Its four leaves are flat, glaucous, and measure 20 to 45 centimeters long with pale brown papery bracts. The plant's bulb and highly fragrant blossoms make it a distinctive ornamental species commonly found in disturbed landscapes.

Habitat: Disturbed places, former home sites

Bloom period: Spring

Elevation: < 600 m

Bioregions: SnFrB, SCo, n ChI, WTR, PR

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.