Cyclamen (Garden hybrids)
Height 10-15cm

Most gardeners think of cyclamen as delicate indoor plants that last a season or two. However they can be grown outside, and naturally grow in harsh cold areas of the Mediterranean and Europe.

These low-growing cyclamens flower in winter and spring. You can buy them in punnets or as bloomers. They produce masses of flowers in shades of red, pink, white and purple, with a sweet scent.  The flowers are usually pink or white, and the leaves are patterned and marbled in white and silver.

Cyclamen grow from corms. A corm is a short enlarged underground stem in which food is stored. This food reserve is completely expended each year to produce the plant above the ground. Examples are gladiolus, freesia, ranunculus, anemone, watsonia, sparaxis and of course cyclamen. Each year new corms are produced from buds above the original corm that replace it. Several small cormels are also formed at the base of the stem, which will become flowering size after a year or two.

Use:

Pot them into hanging baskets, indoor pot or small buckets. They are a traditional Mother's Day gift. But make sure they have adequate drainage, a they tend to rot when overwatered or when the wagter touches their foliage.

The mini’s are ideal for woodland planting under trees.

Varieties we like:

Miniature wild Italian cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium), will thrive and multiply in a shady position in the garden. Mini Cyclamen can be planted under deciduous trees like magnolias, japanese maples and camellias. Plant in drift in shady corners of the garden. Prefers cool areas. 'Shady Glade Burgundy' has simple white flowers although they come in pink, cerise, and red.
The larger florist's cyclamen and their hybrids come in a wide range of dramatic colours, from glorious clear reds through to purples, light pinks, whites, and all sorts of shades in between.

Care: When grown indoors they need plenty of natural light, for example near a window. Don’t put them near a heater or near the fire. They like cool nights, and can even be put outside with the cat before you go to bed. Remove the spent flowers by twisting them off (not cutting them half way) to promote further blooms.