Cyclamen
The florist variety of cyclamen (C. persicum) was ‘the plant’ during the Christmas holiday in the Victorian era; today it is making a comeback in popularity. The name cyclamen comes from the Greek word circle referring to the round corm from which it grows. It has also been called Poor mans orchid, Alpine violet and Persian violet.
The uniquely shaped flowers usually have 5 petals that can be single, double or delicately ruffled which come in shades of pink, purple, salmon, fuchsia, mauve, red and pure white as well as two-toned petals. They are sometimes described as a cluster of butterflies hovering over a rosette of variegated leaves. The flower stalks rise above the round-heart shaped leaves that are marked with a silvery marbling or wide silver margins. The plants range in size from a large standard that grows up to 14 inches tall to the f-1 hybrid minis which are prolific bloomers.
How to care for your Cyclamen plant
Florist cyclamen is a cool season blooming houseplant that with proper care can last on average 2-3 months or longer. It requires bright indirect light and should be placed in the coolest room in the house with night temperatures of 50F and around 65F during the day. To maintain longer bloom time provide high humidity (pebble tray) and keep it away from heating vents.
Water
Even soil moisture is essential, therefore, water the plant from the bottom by emersing the pot in a water-filled bowl. Another option is to water in the side of the pot avoiding the tuber and leaves. Be sure to drain off all excess water. Avoid pouring water directly on the tuber as this can cause the tuber to rot. Allow the plant to dry a bit before watering again.
Fertilize
Feed your Cyclamen with 1/2 strength of a well balanced liquid fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. Too much fertilizer will produce more leaves than flowers.
Plant care tip
Remove any faded flowers and yellowed or damaged leaves by twisting the stem at the base of the corm and pulling it sharply.
Problems
Yellow foliage can indicate that the plant is too warm or too wet. Yellow leaves with brown spots are a sign of fungal disease Botrytis).
Insects: Aphids, cyclamen mites, red spider mites
How to Re-bloon your cyclamen plant
Cyclamen is not easy to rebloom but it can be done. Some will just discard the plant when blooming is done while others will take on the challenge. Here’s how its done.
When the plant is finished blooming, gradually reduce watering. Once the leaves turn yellow, stop watering all together. This will coax the cyclamen into dormancy which it needs to rebloom next year. Store the corms in their pot or take them out of the pot put in paper bag and store in a cool (50F), dry, dark place.
In May or June replant the corms 1/2 above the soil line in fresh soil place in bright cool room. Begin to water and fertilize regularly. When new growth appears, move the plant to a shady spot in the summer. Once cooler weather sets in (autumn) bring it back inside to enjoy the blooms.
My cyclamen has been healthy and flowering for 1.5 years. It is on our patio in a cool spot. suddenly it has become covered with small black ants and some aphid-like nunus under the leaves. Please advise me how to avoid this and prolong its beautiful life.
storing cyclamen corms
I live in Houston, TX., and I plant cyclamen in my yard every year, usually in October. They bloom all Winter and most of Spring. (Our Spring is like Summer most places). I always get compliments on them. Sometimes the bulbs from the previous years rebloom, but they usually rot if I leave them in the ground all year. This year I’m going to try to dig them up and store them until next October and see how they do when I replant them. The bulbs are enormous! Should I store them in a paper bag or some organic matter. That’s pretty much the only cool place around here.
Continuous Blooms for several years
Our local grocery store has a cyclamen in the western exposure window (they have an eve) and that plant has bloomed almost without without a break for several years. I am amazed–they don’t repot, or give it extra care. They say they water it–it’s a pink one and was very heavy with bloom recently (it survived two break-ins through breaking a nearby window within the last month.)
Planting cyclamen seeds
Hello read comments a lot of good advise. Got my husband one 5 months ago while he was in hospital Red blooms We have lots of buds at the end of the stems. When the ripen do they have to be all planted can you save seeds and plant later. This plant has about10 to 15 seed pods Please advise me what to do. We just love this plant.
I am wondering how long it takes for a tuber to flower when grown from seed? Does it depend on the size of the tuber?
Grow from seedI have been successfully propagating cyclamen from seeds. Some of the tubers are the size of a pea after 12 months. I was wondering how long it takes for a cyclamen to flower when grown from seed? Does it depend on the size of the tuber?
Thank you in advance for the answer.
I like to start new plants from leaves in water. My 1st cyclamen’s leaves turned yellow and I did not realize it will go through a dormant period. I cut the stems below the leaves and have them in water. Will they root?
Grow cyclamen outdoors tip
I love the persian cyclamen. Here in South Texas it is very popular as a pot plant. I plant it in the ground outside. After many years I have learned the hard way how to be successful. I grow them outside when night temperatures drop consistently below 70 degrees F (20 C) here that is the coldest 6 months of the year (October to April). They must have perfect drainage. I plant them in sand mixed with humus and some native clay derived from limestone. I add sulfur or chelated iron to counteract the lime in my soil and tapwater. I grow them full sun or part shade. When temperatures heat up in mid-spring, the plants lose vigor and that tells me it is time to remove them. I place them in pots and withhold watering. When all the folliage is dead, I move the pots to my airconditioned house where I store them in a closet until temperature cool in the fall. If the temperature drops below 25% F ( -4 C) I mound over the plant’s leaves with leaves that I had raked up from trees. Here that only happens about 3 times a winter on the average.
Sticky seedheads
I have a Cyclamen that has been on my desk at work for the past year or so. It is healthy and flowers occasionally. However, the “sticky” seeds it produces are ALL over the other objects on my desk. Is there some way to contain them or avoid them from occurring? I am somewhat considering disposing of the plant because it makes such a mess! Thanks so much for any advice!!
Cyclamen disease
Thanks for all the information on your site. I purchased a beautiful cyclamen in Feb. in Florida.
The white flowers are ruffled. I am afraid I am losing the plant. I am now back in Westchester N. Y. I have raised cyclamen before quite successfully but this time something is not right, It is near a West large window but I keep it somewhat shaded under part of a table. My orchids are doing just fine there. I do water from the bottom only what the plant will absorb in a short time, The leaves and whatever flowers seem to be dying by turning wet at the base, I tried keeping it more dry but that did not seem to work. HELP!!!!
Scale
MY CYCLAMEN HAS DEVELOPED A STICKY COLOURLESS LIQUID ON ITS LEAVES AND BENEATH SOME OF THEM ARE SMALL FLAT POD LIKE THINGS WHICH I SCRAPE OFF. BUT I HAVE VERY FEW FLOWERS. OBVIOUSLY ALL IS NOT WELL AND I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ANY ADVISE YOU CAN GIVE ME TO ERADICATE THIS PEST AS I HAVE HAD MY PLANT FOR OVER 3 YEARS AND HAVE RE POTTED IT TWICE. I AM ALSO VERY FOND OF IT.
Hi, I live in Sunnyvale, California. I am new to gardening even though I love plants. I have a few Cyclamen planted in a shaded area outdoors. I have left them there and this is the 2nd year that they are blooming nicely. What kind of fertilizer should I use so that the plants stay healthy and how often? Any other advise. Also, what should I feed the Geraniums? Thanks a lot for your suggestions.
My sheltie (9 months old, 25 lbs.) just ate the last two leaves and stems on my cyclamen, nothing else. How toxic is this and what should I watch for? Thanks
Toxic
I have a Cyclamen and my grandson likes to touch it and has pulled off some leaves and flowers once. Can this plant be toxic to small children?
Powdery mildew
Is Cyclamen prone to powdery mildew or mold, especially if the plant was overpotted and overwatered? Thanks
Can Cyclamen be planted outdoors? I live on Gulf coast, Florida
I’m glad I found this site, it has been helpful! I bought several miniature cyclamen which I planted in NE-patio planter with compost-amended clay and topped with mulch. I’m located in inland southern california, I believe zone 10. I am worried about keeping the corms sufficiently dry during their summer dormancy. Should they be dug out? And, how long is their dormancy
Thanks.
Flower color change
I was given a beautiful bright red cyclamen at Christmas to look after by my father in law. He has been away for 3 weeks and the plant is now a definite pink!
How do I get it to change colour back to the beautiful red? Is it possible?
Thanks.
Are cyclamens toxic to cats? Does anyone have a trick or recipe to keep them out of my plants? Thanks
Are cyclamen poisonous to dogs? Would like to keep them as a centerpiece on a coffee table. But, if there is any danger, I will put them on a high shelf.
I purchased a cyclamen with a brilliant purple flower. It is on it’s second blooming and the flowers are now fuschia pink. Is there a way to return the flower to its original color. Do they react like hydrangeas to the type of soil?
Help! My boyfriend bought me a beautiful purple cyclamen last week and it was so healthy but now the WHOLE thing is limp! I didn’t think I watered it too much, only once a little bit. What do I do?
I work at a nursing home, and was given a Cyclamen by one of the residents because it was dying off. I never had one of these plants, so I am unsure if I am even able to bring it back to its former glory. It has only about 8 leaves that are still green (5 or 6 are very yellow, and the rest I pulled off because they were dead), and I noticed yesterday that it has a couple buds that are at the base of the plant. Is it worth my effort to bring this poor neglected plant back? and what do you suggest I do to accomplish this feat?
Thanks bunches… WONDERFUL site!!!
The plant has heart shaped leaves, purple flowers with 5-6 petals pointing up, offset on long bare stems, flowers are mainly in the center of the plant with the leaves surrounding the flowers. One leaf to a stem. What is it? Thanks Jim
Thanks, thats it Cyclamen, muchly appreciated Jim
Blooms constantly
I have had my Cylamen for 4 years now. It blooms almost constantly! It has 1 window ledge in my house that it loves, but has outgrown it. Is it possible to divide the corm, or will that kill it?
Cyclamen care
A friend gave me a plant for Christmas named Cyclamen. It didn’t have any instructions for care. How do you care for such a plant? Thanks for any help or advice you can offer.