Cyclamen
( SYE - klam - en )
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At-A-Glance InformationCyclamen is a genus of perennials grown from tubers that are a quintessential winter container plant. They need full sun or partial shade, and regular water. Take care when planting Cyclamen in your garden; they can be toxic to humans and animals, but only if eaten in large quantities. Native to Europe, the Mediterranean Region, and Asia, the flowers of these plants come in white, pink, rose and red. In summertime, they are leafless or nearly so. They can be used in rock gardens, under trees or larger shrubs and ferns, and all species are great as container plants.
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Cyclamen Species and Varietals
The genus Cyclamen is a member of the plant family Primulaceae and includes 19 species. The best growing zones for Cyclamen vary depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
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Cyclamen africanum (African Cyclamen) These perennial plants grow from tuber roots, and are native to northern Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Flowers are commonly light pink, and leaves have a 'V' pattern on them. |
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Cyclamen alpinum (Clyclamen trochopteranthum) This perennial grows from tuber and is native to northwestern Turkey. Leaves in this species are oval to round, and are often variegated with silver markings. Flowers are pink to white, and have a magenta spot on them at the nose. There is a pure-white flowering subspecies. |
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Cyclamen x atkinsii This hybrid Cyclamen grows best in zones 4-9 and 14-24. Flowers are crimson in color and sit atop 4-6 inch stems in wintertime. Foliage is deep green with silver markings. Varieties include plants with pink and white (pictured) blooms. |
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Cyclamen balearicum (Majorca Cyclamen, Balearic Cyclamen, St. Peter's Violet, Sowbread) These perennials grow from tubers and are native to shaded woodland areas amongst the Belearic islands and isolated locations in France. Spring-blooming flowers are white and fragrant. Leaves are arrowhead shaped and commonly have lighter green to silvery mottling on upper leaf surfaces. |
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Cyclamen cilicium This species grows best in zones 3-9 and 14-24 and has fragrant pale pink flowers with purple blotches. Leaves are mottled and heart-shaped to ovular. These plants are native to the Taurus Mountains in Turkey, and Variety 'Album' (pictured) has white blooms. |
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Cyclamen colchicum Growing from tuberous roots, this species produces very thick, leathery green leaves mottled with silver. These plants are native to Georgia (the country, not the state), where it prefers to grow amongst rocks or tree roots in woodland areas. |
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Cyclamen coum (Eastern Sowbread) This species grows best in zones 2-9 and 14-24. Flowers are deep crimson-rose and sit on 4-6 inch stems in winter and early springtime. Leaves are deep green and round. Varieties of this species have white or pink flowers. This species is native to Bulgaria and Turkey. |
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Cyclamen creticum (Cretan Sowbread) This small perennial herbaceous plant is native to Crete and Karpathos, Greece. Flowering stems and the flowers themselves are more delicate than those found in other species, and leaves are heart-shaped and often toothed. Depending on the subspecies, flowers can be white or pink to ilght pink. |
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Cyclamen cyprium (Cyprus Cyclamen) This species is the national flower of Cyprus, where it grows in woodlands in the mountains. Heart-shaped leaves are green variegated with silver blotches, and are reddish-purple underneath. Flowers bloom in fall and winter, and are pale pink to magenta in color. |
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Cyclamen graecum (Greek Cyclamen) These plants are native to southern Greece, southern Turkey, and the surrounding islands, and has a variable form. Underground tubers are corky, and leaves are toothed and heart-shaped. Flowers can be white or pink. |
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Cyclamen hederifolium (Cyclamen neapolitanum) (Ivy-Leaved Cyclamen, Sowbread) Light green leaves that are marbled with silver and white provide a base from which rose-pink flowers bloom on 3-4 inch tall stems in late summer and early fall. These herbaceous flowering plants are native to woodland, shrubland, and rocky areas in the Mediterranean region. This species has naturalized in the Pacific Northwest, and the specific epithet refers to the leaves mimicking those of Ivy (Hedera). |
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Cyclamen libanoticum (Labanon Cyclamen) These plants are native to small areas of Lebanon northeast of Beirut, and have fragrant, peppery-scented flowers that bloom in winter through spring. Flowers are white, and turn pale pink with age. They have an irregular magenta-colored marking at their base. Leaves in this species are dark green and have a dark arrowhead pattern on them. |
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Cyclamen mirabile (Sowbread) These plants reach 4 inches tall when in bloom, and are native to woodland areas of Turkey. The specific epithet 'mirabile' refers to the fact that the flower stems miraculously emerge from the bare ground. Leaves can appear simultaneously with flowers, or afterwards. Flowers have a fragrant, coconut scent, and bloom in autumn. These are reasonably hardy plants (down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit), and go dormant in summertime. |
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Cyclamen parviflorum (Small-Flowered Cyclamen) These flowering plants grow from tubers, and are native to Turkey. This species has the smallest flowers in the genus, and is also the only species in the genus that survives in alpine tundra landscapes. Leaves are dark green above and deep red below. Flowers are pink to purple and have a dark mark towards the nose. |
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Cyclamen persicum (Florists' Cyclamen, Persian Cyclamen) This species is best in zones 15-24, and has many varieties. Leaves are generally dark green with silver markings and flower colors can come in crimson, red, salmon, purple, pink or white on 6-8 inch stems. Blooms persist from late fall through spring. Dwarf and miniature varieties are available. The species is native to south-central Turkey and the Levant. |
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Cyclamen pseudibericum (False Iberian Cyclamen) These plants are native to southern Turkey's mountain ranges, and reach 5 inches tall when in bloom. Leaves have a Christmas-tree mottling pattern in silver. Flowers bloom in springtime (January through March in their native range), are fragrant, and are magenta-purple to pink. There is a darker blotch and a white zone at the nose of the flower. |
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Cyclamen purpurascens (Cyclamen europaeum) (Purple Cyclamen) Fragrant purple to deep pink flowers bloom in late summer or early fall atop dark red to brownish stems and leaves are bright green mottled with silver. They are almost evergreen except in the hottest climates, where they are summer deciduous. This species grows best in zones 4-9 and 14-24, and is native to central Europe, Italy, and former Yugoslavia. |
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Cyclamen repandum (Spring Sowbread) Native to southern Europe and the islands of the Mediterranean, this species produces heart-shaped leaves and late-spring blooming flowers with longer, more slender petals than those of other species in the genus. Leaves have a lighter green arrowhead pattern on the upper surfaces, and flowers are deep carmine-pink to white, and do not have darker noses as many other species' flowers do. |
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Cyclamen rohlfsianum Endemic to Libya, this species is named for its discoverer, Friedrich Gerhard Rohlfs. Flowers are light pink, often darkening towards the nose. Leaves are almost maple-leaf shaped, with striking snowflake-pattern silver mottling. |
Caring for Cyclamen
Plant Cyclamen in a space in the landscape that is cool and humid. Cyclamens for planting outdoors are typically labeled as hardy cyclamens, and can do well either in pots or in the ground. Corm-like tubers should be planted about 6-10 inches down in the soil, or they can be grown from seed. They prefer to receive bright, indirect light or partial shade outdoors, and do not like much direct sunlight. All species grow best in rich, porous soil with lots of humus and a pH of between 5.5 and 7.5. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Mulch around the base of the plant with organic mulching material to help retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth. Keep mulch away from the plant stems, as this can encourage an environment for root rot issues to take hold.
New plantings should be watered regularly as they establish a strong root system. When leaves are present on plants, they are actively growing and will need to be watered whenever the soil feels dry an inch down. Avoid wetting leaves or the crown of the plant, as this can cause it to rot. Water infrequently while the plant is dormant (does not have many leaves) to prevent soil from drying out completely. Each year in springtime, apply a 2-inch layer of organic compost around the planting area to improve soil structure, drainage, and nutrient load. This one feeding will be sufficient to carry the plants through their active growing and blooming seasons. Pruning is not necessary for these plants, though any damaged, diseased, or otherwise unsightly foliage can be trimmed off at any time during the growing season in order to clean up the look of the plant. Spent blooms can also be trimmed off. Every few years, especially if you are going to be growing Cyclamen in containers, they will need to be divided. For instructions on how to divide your Cyclamen, see the Propagation section below.
New plantings should be watered regularly as they establish a strong root system. When leaves are present on plants, they are actively growing and will need to be watered whenever the soil feels dry an inch down. Avoid wetting leaves or the crown of the plant, as this can cause it to rot. Water infrequently while the plant is dormant (does not have many leaves) to prevent soil from drying out completely. Each year in springtime, apply a 2-inch layer of organic compost around the planting area to improve soil structure, drainage, and nutrient load. This one feeding will be sufficient to carry the plants through their active growing and blooming seasons. Pruning is not necessary for these plants, though any damaged, diseased, or otherwise unsightly foliage can be trimmed off at any time during the growing season in order to clean up the look of the plant. Spent blooms can also be trimmed off. Every few years, especially if you are going to be growing Cyclamen in containers, they will need to be divided. For instructions on how to divide your Cyclamen, see the Propagation section below.
Propagation
Cyclamen plants are best propagated via division, which should be done every so often for ornamentally-grown plants to ensure they are at their heathiest form (especially if they are being grown in a container). To propagate your Cyclamen by division, follow the intructions below:
Propagating Cyclamen by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in summertime (when the plant is fairly dormant), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance (especially if you are growing Cyclamen in containers).
Propagating Cyclamen by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in summertime (when the plant is fairly dormant), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance (especially if you are growing Cyclamen in containers).
- Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the corm-like tuber(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
- Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick tuberous section.
- Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
- Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.
Problems and Pests
Cyclamen plants can have issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape:
- Fusarium Wilt
- Bacterial Soft Rot
- Leaf Spot
- Botrytis Blight
- Root Rot
- Cyclamen Mite
- Spider Mite
- Thrips
Gallery
Cyclamen are classic plants to be grown under trees and shrubs.
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These cyclamen adorn a tree's root flare alongside Aconite.
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Cyclamen are popular fall container plants.
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Although small, these plants produce interesting flowers and foliage, and are at home in many styles of landscapes.
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Here, two different colored Cyclamen plants are grouped with ornamental Kale in a low planter.
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Videos
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How to grow Cyclamen indoors.
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Learn about Hardy Cyclamen for the garden.
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All of your Cyclamen questions will be answered in this video.
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Watch how Cyclamen seeds are planted.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 275, Cyclamen
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
