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With my lifetime of gardening throughout Southern California, Cyclamen plants have had a close place in my heart for their bounty of color and cheery spirit they bring from fall through springtime in our gardens.
These small bulbs are native to the Mediterranean region and North Africa. Some of the species (the wild ones) Cyclamen can produce tubers the size of a coffee-cup saucer with age. The form and type of Cyclamen bulbs are referred to as tubers.
But today there is an entire new wave of the plants coming into the plant industry through the diligent hybridizing from growers throughout the world. With today’s breeding programs, it’s like a candy store of fabulous new cultivars that will dazzle your garden and your eyes, both now and in the future with new cultivars.
There are primarily three strains of Cyclamens that you can find at your local nursery or florist today. The old-fashioned Florist Cyclamen has been grown in greenhouses for years and are plants you can grow inside your home and brighten any sunny window ledge throughout the winter season. The other strains are the intermediates and the miniatures, which come in a riot of warm colors such as pink, red, cherry, mauve, fuchsia, raspberry, white and delightful two-tones. They are a delight to cheer up a cool and shady planter bed in any garden.
Cyclamens are a very transitional plant that can be happy in a shady spot, dappled light, to almost full sun out in the garden. They are great as container plants in single colors or mixed. Try combining them with violas, English primroses and cascading ivies as a hanging plant for that niche corner around your patio.
When you take a close look at the individual flowers, they appear to be turned inside out with their pendant floral form.
Another horticultural oddity of Cyclamen: when the individual flowers have finished blooming the seed head will recoil itself to bend into the ground and plant its own seed. It’s these small horticultural and interesting tidbits that make the plant kingdom so wonderful to watch and enjoy. Don’t you concur?
It is critical to plant Cyclamen high in the ground, expose a bit of the tuber, and not get any soil inside the center of the crown. This can mean certain disaster and must be avoided to insure a healthy plant.
Cyclamen enjoy the cool of the winter season and I have found that the miniatures have the best delicate perfume of the entire clan of hybrids. It is such a delight to stroll in the garden in January and come upon light whiffs of the Cyclamen’s aroma that tickle your senses.
With Cyclamen breeding going on in the world today, strains have been developed also to enhance the round little leaves of these plants. Names like “Silverado” and “Sterling” are a few to search for. The leaves of this strain look like fine Belgium lace with their mottled veins contrasting from opaque light grey to dark forest green. I enjoy the unique foliage all by itself and will use the leaves and the cut Cyclamen flowers in tiny bud vase arrangements for a nightstand or small signature floral piece. In Europe there are taller strains of Cyclamen that are used as cut flowers in winter arrangements.
The recent winter’s pounding rains have not been a happy time for the delicate little plants, but they are hardy and have quickly regained vigor and are ablaze in the garden once again… Go, Cyclamen.
They prefer well drained soil that is slightly on the acid side. Don’t over-water, and try to keep the tubers high in the ground when planting. Once the plants start to show a slow down in growth and blossoms, they can be lifted and repotted and kept on the dry side for a summer’s rest and than be set back into the garden in fall once again. They are definitely a perennial bulb but need dormancy and rest period from the summer’s watering in the garden.
Here in Fallbrook there are a number of excellent commercial growers of these little garden gems who ship them to garden centers, florists and mass markets throughout the country. I compliment them and give thanks for doing such a great job in growing these wonderful plants for our homes and gardens to enjoy.
Recently I visited a Cyclamen greenhouse in full bloom and it was enough to knock your socks off — that is, if you’re into plants. So consider these colorful darlings for your garden or in the home, for you will be completely enraptured on how they look, their perfume and their overall charm that can last from autumn, winter and through the spring. Cheers to the Cyclamen family!
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