If kept in a warm, dry situation they may be more susceptible to cyclamen mites and spider mites. Carry on browsing if you're happy with this, or find out how to manage cookies. It is a very hardy variety. Flowering: early winter to mid-spring. If your soil is heavy add some coarse grit as these plants will not tolerate sitting in wet soil. Q My cyclamen have all gone mouldy and rotted. 3. This variety does not have a dormant period like the other varieties. Other common names Persian cyclamen . Care: Cyclamen grown indoors need plenty of natural light, for example near a window. How to Grow and Care for Cyclamen. The easiest way to gauge this is by sticking your finger into the soil. An inch or two is plenty. They will do well even in relatively poor soils. It starts at the base of the stalks and spreads to the leaves and flower buds. However, take care not to overwater them, especially in their dormant period, as this can cause the roots to rot. Because of their bias to winter growth, they cohabit happily with a huge range of plants. Ensure that the container that the plant is placed in has sufficient drainage holes to eliminate excess water. Extending the lifespan of your cyclamen. Rachel Brown is a senior writer at DIY Garden reporting on all things from gardening to fun with the kids. They often do best on their own and should not be overcrowded as this will encourage mould. They like cool nights, and can even be put outside with the cat before you go to bed! Outdoor Collection. Do not let the bottom of the cyclamen pot sit submerged in the water or the roots will rot. Outdoors is an option too, especially if you live in a moderate climate or can protect the plant from freezing on a porch. When planted in a suitable place these plants are usually pest and disease free. They also look fabulous in rockeries with a little overhead protection in summer. Position: outdoors or in the garden in a cool, sheltered position. • Temperature and Humidity Control: This plant thrives in a humid and cool environment. However, we have left most of the original information on our (very) old Cyclamen site, which provides details of all of the other varieties, for you to look through in case you find it useful. You will also discover carpets of cyclamen growing in our beautiful nursery borders against a fine backdrop of shrubs, conifers, herbaceous perennials and bulbs. Cyclamen hederifolium sets lots of seed, which is easy to germinate as long as it's sown fresh. These plants do not like hot sunny positions and prefer semi-shade. All of these cyclamen like lots of light and cool growing conditions. For the more saucer-shaped tubers, plant with the convex side downwards. Water the plant regularly during spring and summer but don’t overwater because the tubers may rot in waterlogged soil. The cyclamen house, where we raise our cyclamen, is a wonderful sight in autumn and early spring when many of our stock plants are in flower. In good soil, they will not require extra fertiliser. When the plant begins to go dormant, the leaves will start to turn yellow and die, and this is completely normal. Hardy cyclamen grows in nearly any type of loose, well-drained soil. Keep the cyclamen on a tray of water with a layer of pebbles or gravel to form a shelf for the cyclamen pot to sit on. In poor soil or when grown in pots, apply a slow release fertiliser in spring. Container grown plants do not get very large so will rarely need repotting unless they are in very small pots. Hardy cyclamen are easy to grow as long as you avoid heavy soils that are apt to get waterlogged. Cyclamen are fragrant, which adds to the appeal of having them indoors. Do this by hand, rather than raking, so as not to damage the tubers which sit quite high in the soil. With such great care, you’ll be keeping your cyclamen for years. Growing hardy cyclamen outdoors is simple as long as you follow a few general guidelines. They also look good against a backdrop of ferns which will also do well in these conditions. This is on the basis of well grown corms, in quantity at good value ! 2. When the plant begins to go dormant, the leaves will start to turn yellow and die, and this is completely normal. Avoid overwatering the plants as this can significantly increase the chance of fungal diseases. It grows from tubers, which if cared for well, help the plant survive when it is dormant. Cyclamen do not like extreme heat, drafts, or dry air. Genus Cyclamen are tuberous perennials with rounded, sometimes angular, leaves which are often attractively mottled. The local garden centre didn’t have much left in the way of bedding plants, but I was delighted to get my hands on a few pots of Cyclamen hederifolium (also know as ‘hardy cyclamen’ or ‘ivy-leaved cyclamen’). Water only when the top inch of soil feels dry. Cyclamen mites are too small to see but you may spot symptoms such as yellow, deformed leaves. The cyclamen plant is one that is perfect as an indoor plant, though it may also be kept outdoors. Replant the divisions in prepared soil so that the corms are just below the surface. Rotting of the tuber can be caused by Erwinia bacteria. 1 Siting. If you use a saucer, empty the excess water after 30 minutes. In beddings; In window-boxes; In hanging baskets; Our guides «Step by step» Browse the garden guide; Indoors. You can remove any dead foliage, if you would like. Dig a few inches of mulch, compost, or other organic matter into the soil before planting, especially if your soil is clay-based or sandy. In general, hardy cyclamen prefer poor, well-drained soils in full or part shade. Planted under roses, especially in the company of snowdrops and other spring flowering bulbs it is possible to have a show almost 12 months of the year. They are also known for being a bit temperamental! Cyclamen Care. Plant tubers 3-5cm (1¼-2in) deep and several to a large hole dug out with a spade. The silver group (C. coum Silver Group) is also good, featuring a silvery coating so bright it is almost white. Sowbread, eastern cyclamen, round-leaved cyclamen, ivy-leaved cyclamen, Species include cyclamen hederifolium, cyclamen coum, Most species originate in The Middle East and southern and central Europe, These low growing plants will reach a maximum height 7-15 cm (3-6 inches), These plants prefer semi-shade and are ideal for a shady border, among shrubs, or under a tree canopy, C.hederifolium and purpurascens can survive even temperatures down to -22. Soil This is perfectly natural. That's when many of us, thinking they're dead, throw our plants away. These tiny insects are hard to see, though you may sometimes spot their webs. There are varieties that flower in autumn, winter and spring. Ideally, they love a place that is 50-60 degrees F, but since you probably don't live in that cold of a house, either a windowsill or a chillier location in the house will do. One essential factor in growing cyclamen is not to over-water them. beautiful flowers with reflexed petals in a wide range of colours when grown as an indoor plant they are a good alternative to cut flowers long flowering outdoors, they brighten up the garden in autumn and winter they have attractive, variegated leaves. Alternatively, the seeds can be started indoors or in a greenhouse in trays or modules of seed compost, ready for hardening off and planting out when the weather is warmer. Cyclamen persicum is a small and compact flowering pot plant that may only last this flowering season or possibly next season, if proper care is given. Indoors—good light, a couple of hours of morning sun, protection from draughts. Place the plant in a cool, somewhat dark place. Perhaps the biggest complaint of cyclamen raised as houseplants is their seemingly untimely demise. Cyclamen need not only be enjoyed in the home. Water when the Cyclamen is actively growing. Pictured right we have cyclamen plants growing happily amongst rocks in the garden. High humidity, especially during winter, is crucial. Hardy cyclamen is difficult to propagate from seed, but you can plant bulbs, or tubers, in late summer or early autumn. Because Cyclamen prefer being watered from the underside (more about that below! It is a little known fact that cyclamen are also excellent outdoor plants in most temperate climates. How to grow cyclamen outdoors. Tips for outdoor cyclamen care This week I decided to give the area around my front door a winter face lift. Outdoors is an option too, especially if you live in a moderate climate or can protect the plant from freezing on a porch. Cyclamen are cool-season plants that are often given as holiday gifts. For the bulb to find nutrients in such a small amount of soil, remember to feed your plant with fertilizer, prefer organic solutions: natural fertilizer for sale in horticulture stores, or coffee grounds, cooled vegetable boiling water… Also, remember to remove wilted leaves and flowers. Care of hardy cyclamen is simple and the plants require minimal maintenance to look their best. If the soil is too heavily clay based you can try digging grit into it to make it more suitable for cyclamen. Try to provide the conditions they like by ensuring good drainage and plenty of air circulation. These pests also like hot dry conditions so misting them may be appropriate depending on the conditions. Position your plant somewhere with good air circulation as this will reduce the risk of grey mould. Most often grown in pots indoors, cyclamen like plenty of natural light. Give them a good soaking rather than a regular sprinkle. Hardy cyclamen lights up the garden with showy mounds of silvery-white foliage and heart-shaped leaves that appear in autumn and last until the plant goes dormant in late spring. These plants are hardy and long-lived and require little care once established. Good varieties include those from the ‘Pewter Leaf’ group whose leaves look like they are overlaid with pewter. How to plant cyclamen For container planting, fill a container up to three quarters full with multipurpose compost. What you need to know about cyclamen Name: cyclamen, florist’s cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) Plant type: low-growing plant with leaves arising from a mainly underground corm or bulb. Your plant may also be susceptible to spider mites, especially if kept in a greenhouse. Potted plants should be watered just as they almost dry out. In autumn and winter nature usually provides enough water for these plants, however, you should keep an eye on them if the weather is particularly dry. Under the right conditions, florist cyclamen will flower nonstop for many months. However, as long as you meet their particular requirements, cyclamen are pretty easy to maintain. ‘Something Magic’ has violet-pink flowers while ‘Rubrum’ is deep pink with a purple blotch at the base of each lobe. Cyclamen do not like sitting in cold wet soil. How to care for cyclamen. Grip the flower stem and twist it to detach the whole stem from the corm if possible. The plants self-seed and will soon spread to surrounding areas of your garden. Its sweet-smelling flowers grow to about 0.75 inches long, and the whole plant grows to 8 inches high (when flowering) and 6 inches in diameter. The tubers are flat and round and need to sit on top of the soil, the roots will anchor the tuber to the soil. Use a loam-based compost and add a slow release fertilizer in spring. Outdoor cyclamen care Outdoor cyclamen care. Hardy cyclamen is a tuberous perennial and it will spread itself by setting seed around the garden. What did I do wrong? It is sometimes known as wavy cyclamen due to the scalloping on the leaf edges. between each tuber. This means it is always in leaf and will need to be kept moist throughout the year. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Cyclamen grown indoors need plenty of natural light, for example near a window. While growers back then had to carefully tend to their plants for up to five years hoping to get blooms for two months, they are much easier to grow today. The pretty, upright flowers appear for months on end and are happy grown indoors or out. 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