order: ericales
family: myrsinaceae
genus: cyclamen
species: persicum
cultivar: ??
Florist's cyclamens are cultivars of Persian cyclamens. They generally have bigger foliage and flowers than the wild species. They are winter growing, tuberous perennials. This unknown cultivar has green heart-shaped, finely toothed leaves with lighter marble markings. The nodding flowers have 5 bright pink, reflexed and recurved petals.
I bought this plant in late autumn 2011, while it was blooming. As the flowers were fading in late spring, I brought it outdoors and placed it under our willow tree. The leaves slowly died down, and seed pods ripened. During the hottest months in the summer, the plant, or rather the corm, was just sleeping. I took the opportunity to transplant it into its new pot, with one third of the corm above the soil line. Keeping this zone above soil line, where petioles of the leaves and flower stalks are attached to the corm, not only keeps the plant healthy but also reveals another aesthetic feature of the plant. The plant came back to life during the cooler weeks in late summer. Flowers appeared after the leaves. There must be over 50 leaves and some 20 flowers this winter season. I was worried that the compact thicket of foliage could hinder the growth of flowers. However, as it seems, the plant has been so intelligently designed that each flower finds its way through the narrow gaps between leaves. Also the leaves are designed in such a way that they could divert most of the rainwater away from the centre of the plant.
For cultivation, I try to keep the temperature in the range of 12-16°C whenever possible. I keep the soil moderately moist while in growth and almost dry when dormant. Infrequent feeding with low N liquid fertiliser only began one month after growth resumed, as the fresh potting soil provides sufficient nutrients for the plant's initial growth
family: myrsinaceae
genus: cyclamen
species: persicum
cultivar: ??
 |
| second year in autumn 2012. many flower buds are hidden under the dense canopy. |
Florist's cyclamens are cultivars of Persian cyclamens. They generally have bigger foliage and flowers than the wild species. They are winter growing, tuberous perennials. This unknown cultivar has green heart-shaped, finely toothed leaves with lighter marble markings. The nodding flowers have 5 bright pink, reflexed and recurved petals.
I bought this plant in late autumn 2011, while it was blooming. As the flowers were fading in late spring, I brought it outdoors and placed it under our willow tree. The leaves slowly died down, and seed pods ripened. During the hottest months in the summer, the plant, or rather the corm, was just sleeping. I took the opportunity to transplant it into its new pot, with one third of the corm above the soil line. Keeping this zone above soil line, where petioles of the leaves and flower stalks are attached to the corm, not only keeps the plant healthy but also reveals another aesthetic feature of the plant. The plant came back to life during the cooler weeks in late summer. Flowers appeared after the leaves. There must be over 50 leaves and some 20 flowers this winter season. I was worried that the compact thicket of foliage could hinder the growth of flowers. However, as it seems, the plant has been so intelligently designed that each flower finds its way through the narrow gaps between leaves. Also the leaves are designed in such a way that they could divert most of the rainwater away from the centre of the plant.
For cultivation, I try to keep the temperature in the range of 12-16°C whenever possible. I keep the soil moderately moist while in growth and almost dry when dormant. Infrequent feeding with low N liquid fertiliser only began one month after growth resumed, as the fresh potting soil provides sufficient nutrients for the plant's initial growth
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| seedpods summer 2012 |
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| cyclamen going to take shower. late november 2012. |
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