Cultivation

The Florists Cyclamen and dried tubers have caused many people to believe that Cyclamen are difficult to grow. These notes are written to try to dispel this illusion.

Cyclamen resent disturbance and this should be remembered when you buy them. Cyclamen can be obtained as dried tubers, often dug up in the wild in their native country. They are difficult to establish and although they may be cheap, the consequent losses make them a poor bargain. Cyclamen are also sold as growing tubers with the soil removed. This may cause them to go into a premature state of dormancy. Treat as dormant (see below) and be patient. They may well remain dormant until the next growing season. Pot-grown Cyclamen can be established with the minimum of disturbance. Certain species are hardy and can be safely grown outside. I have arranged these in an approximate order of hardiness, i.e. C. hederifolium. C coum, C purpurascens. C parviflorum, C. repandum. C cilicium, C mirabile, C intaminatum, C. alpinum, C. pseudibericum and C. coum subsp. elegans. If you live in the North of Scofland, C hederifolium should be happy, but C. coum subsp. elegans may die of frost-bite!

Cyclamen repandum growing outside, in cultivation

The following plants - C. creticum, C. repandum f album, C. rhodium subsp. peloponnesiacum. C. repandum subsp.vividum, C. rhodium, C. balearicum, C. libanoticum, C. graecum. C. persicum, C. africanum and C. rohlfsianum are probably best grown in a frost free greenhouse or cold-frame. If you live in a mild area or have ideal conditions and not too severe winters, most of the plants in the first part of this list will live happily outside. However they will not thrive in windy, cold and wet conditions. The best conditions for most garden Cyclamen are light dappled shade, shelter from strong winds and well drained soil. So, if you are growing your Cyclamen outside, the shelter of trees and shrubs is ideal.

The addition of coarse grit, leaf-mould and peat in the soil will help to provide the perfect growing conditions. Cyclamen are tolerant of reasonably acid or alkaline soil. Most Cyclamen should be barely covered with soil when planted. However, C. repandum should be planted two or three inches deep.In a greenhouse or cold frame Cyclamen require fresh air, shade from hot sun and protection from intense cold. The temperature for the less hardy should not fall below freezing point Cyclamen are not fussy about soil conditions but do require a well drained potting compost A mixture of one part coarse grit, one part peat or leaf-mould, one part soil plus a little bone-meal is perfectly adequate. If possible plant in clay pots and plunge the pots in grit.

Cyclamen coum growing outside, in cultivation

Cyclamen repandum ssp. peloponnesiacum growing in the wild

More Cyclamen have probably been killed by over-watering than all other causes put together. During the growing period the compost should be kept damp but not wet, during the dormant period watering should be reduced but not stopped. The exceptions are C. rohlfsianum which needs hardly any water and a good baking in the sun during the dormant period. C. purpurascens, which flowers during the summer, must be kept well watered throughout the year. C. purpurascens also benefits from a richer compost. Cyclamen are self pollinating and set seed quite easily. If, however, a particular plant should prove difficult, tap the flowers to encourage the pollen to drop.

In all the species except C. persicum and C. somalense the flower stalks curl into a spiral, drawing the seed capsule down onto the top of the tuber. When the ripe seed capsule starts to split, the seed should be harvested and sown immediately. The seed compost (same as the potting compost previously described) should be kept moist and in the dark until the seedlings emerge. This usually takes place at the same time as the parent plant of the particular species is either coming into growth or flower. The seedlings should be encouraged to grow on as long as possible. This means keeping them moist, cool and well shaded in late Spring and Summer. Cyclamen grown outside suffer from few pests or diseases, those grown inside are also relatively trouble free. However, the greenhouse should be kept well ventilated, free of rubbish and the dead leaves must be removed from the plants.

All the plants for sale at the Nursery are raised from seed from our own stock plants. They are grown on in three inch pots and should be easy to establish. In the garden most Cyclamen cover an area of nine to twelve inches when well established. C. intaminatum and C. parviflorum are the smallest of the species and are best planted six inches apart.