Cyclamen
Monday 27 April, 2020
Website: www.instagram.com/p/B_Lq1-gBZT0/
Main image: This sweet tiny form of Ivy-leaf Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium) gives Anne such a wonderful surprise each autumn when the pretty little pale mauve-pink flowers pop up in the dappled shade under the many deciduous trees in her beautiful garden. They are followed a few weeks later by the marbled foliage, suggesting the cooler weather is on its way.
The cyclamen is right up there as one of my favourite plants at this time of year. They are long-flowering, from early April through winter and into spring. As my birthday is in April, I always receive a fresh, beautiful new plant from a dear friend to add to my collection. Some cyclamens are perfumed and they come in a rich tapestry of vivid colours ranging from white, to pink, red and mauve. It’s hard to choose!
The Persian Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is the parent of these modern hybrids, and is native to islands in the Mediterranean, Greece and Lebanon. In the 1600s cyclamen were taken to Europe and grown for ornamental purposes. Much work went into hybridising and breeding to obtain the form we have today, which is different from the original plants.
If you've grown cyclamen at home you might notice the seed pods – funny little objects growing from the plant: collect these, store them in a bottle and then sow them in winter when the temperature is cooler.
During summer cyclamen are dormant, so put the pot on its side in a shady spot in the garden. By January they will start to re-grow and that's the time to repot them. These plants thrive in cool temperatures and do well in a brightly-lit spot, especially on a patio or verandah.
There is much variety amongst cyclamen. My favourite is the fragrant, small-flowered true miniature varieties. I love the delicate flowers and the lovely motley, marbled heart-shaped leaves – each with a different pattern. I have so many in pots which I originally purchased from my local nursery in punnets. They must be happy living with me as they don’t lose their leaves in summer … guess I am doing something right!
One of our Sub-committee members, Gayle Parkes, is posting to Instagram each week for 'Plant of the Week' - keep watching and enjoying!
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#OGVplantoftheweek #OGVcyclamen