University of Vermont Extension
Department of Plant and Soil Science
Winter News
Article
CONSIDER
CYCLAMEN
Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension
Professor
University of Vermont
If you want a different plant for
holiday decorating, one that prefers cool temperatures, consider the
cyclamen. The unusual shaped colorful
blossoms are held on reddish stalks above the variegated gray-green
elliptical
leaves. Readily available at most
florist shops and greenhouses, it is one of the prettiest winter potted
plants.
The florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen
persicum) is one of about 20 species of cyclamen, and is native
to the
eastern Mediterranean. Cyclamen are in
the primrose family, although they really don't resemble
primroses.
Under proper conditions the
cyclamen's vivid, waxy, orchid-like flowers may last up to six weeks.
Depending
on the variety, the blossoms may be pink, lavender, deep purple, white,
or red.
Cyclamen range in height from 6 to 10 inches tall. Miniature
cyclamen are 4 to 6 inches tall,
while micros are 3 to 4 inches tall.
Because it needs cool temperatures
(65 to 68 degrees F in day is ideal) to continue blooming, you need to
keep
this plant away from heat sources and, preferably, in the coolest part
of the
house to do well. When night temperatures remain above 65 degrees F
cyclamen
leaves may turn yellow, and buds may die.
Removing flower stalks once finished
bloom may promote renewed flowering. You can cut dead leaves and spent
flowers
off with scissors, or remove by twisting them from the corm (the basil
bulb-like storage part of the plant). Remove completely, as stalks left
on may
rot and get gray mold disease (botrytis).
Leaves also drop quickly when
lighting is poor. Give bright, indirect
light as in the open woodlands to which the plants are native. In
northern areas direct sunlight also is possible.
To prolong the life of your plant, water the
soil as soon as it feels dry to the touch. Avoid overwatering, and do
not spill
water onto the crown (center) of the plant or the stems may rot.
If too dry, leaves will wilt and may fall
off, and flower buds may fall off too.
If plants wilt, and the soil remains wet, the roots may have a root
rot.
Keep humidity high around plants by placing plants on a tray of moist
pebbles,
just don't let plants sit in standing water. One method of watering is
to soak
pots from the base, as in a saucer for a few minutes, then drain the
water.
Once your plant stops blooming,
reduce watering, and allow it to dry out. Remove the corm from the
soil, and
place in peat moss, vermiculite, or a mixture of the two to keep it
moist but
not wet. Or you can just leave the plant in the pot once the leaves
turn
yellow. Store for a few months at 50
degrees F while it is dormant, as in a cool and dark basement or
garage,
keeping just barely moist.
In late summer, repot it in a
mixture of equal parts peat moss, garden soil, and sand, keeping the
upper half
of the corm above the soil surface to help prevent rotting. Move it to
a shady
spot outdoors, and water as needed. Fertilize twice a month with a low
nitrogen
fertilizer. Keep from excessive rains
outdoors to prevent rots. Before
the first autumn frost bring your cyclamen indoors. Place it in a cool,
sunny
window, and wait for the blooms!
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Perry's Perennial
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