Cyclamen for the temperate garden

8/7/2019 Cyclamen for the temperate garden

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Cyclamen- Great Hardy Perennials forthe Garden

By Dennis Carey and Tony AventPlant Delights Nursery, Inc.

www.plantdelights.com9241 Sauls Road

Raleigh, NC 27603919.772.4794

Cyclamen cilicium
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Introduction

My first encounter with hardy cyclamen was in the garden of the late Rachel Dunham of Cary, NC in the 1960s. I was amazed to see what I thought was a rare perennial, seedingall through her woodland lawn and was immediately struck by how tough cyclamen were,

and obviously, how easy they were to cultivate. This started me on a lifetime of cyclamen fondness. My next encounter with the genus was tying to grow the non-hardy Cyclamen persicum hybrids which flooded the box store market starting in the 1970s. It was onlyafter owning my first home that I tried hardy cyclamen for myself, starting in theearly1980s, with the final piece of the puzzle coming together in an expedition to studythem in the wild in 2010.

Hardy cyclamen are a group of tuberous perennials, whose small stature make them perfect for rock gardens, alpine beds, or potted plants. They have charming pink, white or purple nodding flowers with upright petals that are reminiscent of fairy wings or shuttlecocks. Many cyclamen species bloom in the fall and late winter when there is little

else in flower. In addition, cyclamen are prized for their often kaleidoscopic green andsilver patterned leaves whose intricacy and variety of form are unmatched in the garden.Once you see a drift of cyclamen in bloom, you too will be enchanted and want to addthem to your plant collection.

Here at Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden, we have assembled awide variety of the world's cyclamen species. Our goal is to research which ones can takeour hot humid summers and cold wet winters, then make them available to the public. Weinvite our readers to stop by the garden on our Open House Days in order to see our collection and to check out our web site to see our current offerings.

History and Background

The name cyclamen comes from the Latin cyclamnos which in turn comes from theGreek kuklaminos and kuklos which means cycle, circle, or wheel. This refers either tothe round, wheel-like shape of the tubers or to the fact that the flower stalk circles uponitself as the fruit develops. cyclamen have several common names, but most people usethe genus name as a common name. Other common names include sowbread, Persian or alpine violet. The common name, sowbread, indicates that pigs like to dig and eat thetubers, although Persian violet is misleading because cyclamen are neither violets, nor arethey originally from Persia. As with all Latin names, there are arguments as to how to

pronounce the name cyclamen. Some people say SY-cla-men and others insist on SIK-la-men. Since Latin is a dead language, whichever you choose to use is fine by us.

Cyclamen species are native primarily to the Mediterranean region: Greece, Italy,Cypress, Crete, Turkey, Lebanon and Israel (where they are the national flower). Somespecies have radiated from this center of diversity north to Belarus, south to Somalia,west to Libya, Spain and France, and east to Iran.

In the wild, cyclamen grow in rocky terrain or in the leaf litter beneath trees. Although
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the range of many species do not overlap, I was fortunate in Crete to find both Cyclamengraecum and Cyclamen creticum growing side by side. cyclamen are well adapted to theMediterranean climate with its hot dry summers and cool wet winters, but most can begrown in a wide range of temperate climates as long as the summer dormant tubersremain well-drained. Dormant cyclamen are fine with summer irrigation as long as the

soil is well-drained and the irrigation isn't excessive.

In their native range, some wild populations of cyclamen have been severely depleted byover collection of tubers for commercial trade, rendering many species endangered in thewild. Although the practice of wild collecting for sale is frowned upon, it is reportedlystill common. In a few areas, plant conservation groups have educated people to reducethe harvest down to a sustainable level by substituting seed cultivation for wildcollecting. Today, cyclamen are on the Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies (CITES) list of plants that are restricted from import or export. Unfortunately,this poorly executed law also makes it difficult to purchase legally grown plants fromnurseries that propagate them from seed. Of course, it is equally difficult to know when

you purchase plants, which are truly nursery propagated, as opposed to those which arewild collected and simply "laundered" through plant brokers. Not all species of cyclamen are rare in the wild. When I went to Crete in 2010, I was shocked to find millions of Cyclamen creticum throughout the country.

Although they have been used as ornamentals for the last 400 years or so, cyclamen have been used medicinally for over 2000 years. cyclamen first made their way into Europeangardens in the 1600s, but for a long time they remained a rare curiosity in specialtycollections. In the 1800s the Victorians became enamored with the tender Cyclamen

persicum and started breeding it into the multitudinous number of florists cyclamen cultivars that we see today. The Victorians prized cyclamen for their winter flowers andused them as a popular Christmas decoration...a practice that has grown into a huge

business today.

Economic and Ethnobotanical uses

The Greek doctor and botanist, Dioscorides, documented several medical uses for cyclamen that include its use as a purgative, to speed the delivery of babies, to causeabortions, to make hair re-grow, and as an amorous medicine which caused the persontaking it to fall violently in love. The Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder, described howcyclamen tubers and roots were used to poison fish. cyclamen tubers are poisonous to

people, too, and cause violent diarrhea and even death if eaten raw...note to self...lay off the cyclamen tuber snacking. People in the Near East, however, dry and roast the tubersas a delicacy. The drying/roasting process breaks down the toxins, but if preparedincorrectly, they break down the population growth. cyclamen flower petals are also usedaround the world to make tea.

Horticulturally, cyclamen are used primarily as indoor, winter-blooming potted plantsand to a lesser extent as garden plants. Potted cyclamen plants have long been symbols of resignation and goodbye, and as such, they are often given to people when they move,
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change jobs, or retire. As garden plants, they have been used since at least the 1650s, butwere not widely popular until after WWII.

Morphology

Cyclamen are tuberous, herbaceous, perennials that grow from either flattened, pancake-like or round tubers...depending on the species. The tuber grows just beneath the soilsurface or, in some cases, on top of it. The tubers start out quite small but get wider withage, sometimes exceeding 6" in width and very old tubers can reach the size of a dinner

plate. A well-tended cyclamen can live up to 100 years in the same spot.

cyclamen leaves have a tremendous range of shapes, even within a single species. Theleaves may be kidney bean-shaped, heart-shaped, ivy leaf-shaped, or even somewhattriangular. Some are rounded, some are angular, some are short and wide, and others arenarrow and elongated. Most species usually have attractive silver variegation patterns onthe dark green leaf. The silver variegation appears as blotches, flecks, diamond-shaped

patterns, heart-shaped patterns, central "Christmas tree" patterns or "spear head" patterns.Sometimes the entire leaf is colored silver or pewter. On most species, new leaves appear in the fall or winter and rise only 2-4" above the soil. They last until the followingsummer and then die off while the tuber goes summer dormant.

Like the leaves, the flower stalks rise directly from the tuber. The flower stalks grow upto 5" tall (depending on the species), and curve downward 90 to 180 (except inCyclamen alpinum) at the tip (like a candy cane) so that the flower faces downwards.cyclamen produce a single 4- or 5-petalled flower on each flower stalk. The petals arefused together at the base and form a tube-like structure called a corolla, whose openingfaces the ground. The petals are roundish or triangular in shape, and are sometimestwisted around. The point where the corolla splits into the petals may be folded into asmall lip called an auricle, which serves as a foothold for the bees that hang upside-downand pollinate the flower. cyclamen flowers are often compared to those of the ornamentalgenus dodecatheon because both flowers face downward and have reflexed petals.

Cyclamen flower color varies along a continuum that includes white, various shades of pink, red, and purple. The flowering date varies by species...see the chart below. Somecyclamen bloom in the summer before the new leaves appear, while others flower in thelate winter or spring. After the flower is pollinated a curious thing happens. The flower stalk of many species coils up upon itself over and over, like a spring, so that thedeveloping fruit is pulled downward beneath the leaf canopy. This bizarre behavior is

beautiful and amazing to observe.

The fruit is a five-chambered capsule about " in diameter, containing 5-40 sticky,sugar-coated seeds. When the seeds are ripe, the fruit splits open and ants, attracted bythe sugar, carry off the seeds. Nancy Goodwin tells me that she has tasted cyclamen seedand finds them neither sweet nor poisonous...thank goodness for the latter.
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Taxonomy

There are 23 species currently recognized in the genus Cyclamen, which is in currently inthe family Primulaceae. Its first cousin genera include primula, dodecatheon, andlysimachia. There have been recent suggestions that the genus cyclamen should be

moved into the family Myrsinaceae, but that taxonomic battle continues.

Many catalogs and books list virtually each species with a forma album, forma rubrum or variety album or variety rubrum. This is actually incorrect....the words forma and varietyare correctly applied to a population that reproduces itself with a set of similar characteristics. These white, pink, etc. flowered forms are simply clonal variants, or whenselfed for several generations become a true cultivar seed strain.

Cyclamen Breeding Programs

Since the early 1800s most cyclamen breeding has focused primarily on the florist

cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum. Breeding has greatly increased the overall plant size and broadened the flower color and form. Breeders also removed the summer dormancy period of the florist cyclamen, which greatly decreased the production time but made the plant less adaptable to outdoor conditions. Most of the work with florist cyclamensoccurred in England, Netherlands, Germany, and Japan. Modern Cyclamen persicumhybrids have many interesting traits including large size, ruffled petals, double flowers,

picotee flowers, and a wide range of colors including the breakthrough hues, true red and pale yellow.

The breeding of other cyclamen species pales in comparison to Cyclamen persicum.There are many nurseries and collectors who make hand crosses and evaluate seedlings,

but there are few inbred breeding lines and breakthroughs in size, form, or flower color.Only a handful of interspecies crosses have ever succeeded. Modern breeders havestarted using techniques such as colchicine-induced polyploidy and embryo rescue tomake crosses that were previously impossible. Breeders are focusing on creating hybridsof cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive species to create winter-hardy hybrids that have thetraits of the frost sensitive species.

Prominent cyclamen growers include Nancy Goodwin of Montrose Gardens inHillsborough, NC, Robin Hansen of Hansen Gardens in California, Ellen Hornig of Seneca Hill in New York, Peter Moore of Tile Barn Nursery and John Massey of Ashwood Nursery, both in England. Please forgive us if we missed others. These folks allhelp conserve the wild species by making them available to the public from cultivatedstock, but they also select plants with novel leaf variegation and flower traits.

Culture

Cyclamen are small plants which like to be planted under trees and shrubs. Cyclamen areeasily covered up and out-competed by spreading perennials, so their best companionsare small clumping plants such as anemone, buttercup, chionodoxa, crocus, scilla,
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snowdrops, winter aconites, primula, and small ferns and hostas. Reseeding perennialslike hellebores can eventually smother small cyclamen.

Although Cyclamen coum and Cyclamen hederifolium are the most commonly growngarden species, many others also make worthy, easy-to-grow garden plants. According to

Nancy Goodwin, gardeners who grow a wide array of species can have a succession of flowers in every month of the year. The following bloom calendar of selected species is based on our observations here in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (Hardiness zone 7b,35N latitude). Also included on the list are the reputed blooming seasons of some other species.

Season of Bloom Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Cyclamen alpinum X X X

Cyclamen balearicum X X X

Cyclamen cilicium X X X X X

Cyclamen colchicum X X X XCyclamen creticum X X X

Cyclamen coum X X X X

Cyclamen cyprium X X

Cyclamen graecum X X X

Cyclamen hederifolium X X X X X

Cyclamen intaminatum X X X X

Cyclamen libanoticum X X X

Cyclamen mirabile X X X X

Cyclamen pseudibericum X X X

Cyclamen purpurascens X X X X

Cyclamen repandum X X X

Cyclamen rhodium ssp peloponnesiacum X X X

Cyclamen rohlfsianum X X X

To grow cyclamen successfully, it is important to understand their needs. Cyclamen are

primarily native to the Mediterranean, which has a climate of hot dry summers and coolwet winters with few frosts. Plants native to the Mediterranean have adapted by activelygrowing in the winter and going dormant in the summer. Cyclamen are thus sensitive toexcessive summer moisture because they do not consume much water when they aredormant. As a result, summer rains and excessively run irrigation systems, combinedwith poor drainage, can easily rot the tubers. While wild cyclamen will take some directsun, they usually grow in the understory of trees and shrubs and in rocky crevices,competing successfully with tree roots for water. They are not tolerant of windy sites as
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they are adapted to the protective shelter of trees, shrubs, and large rocks. Some species prefer dappled shade (Cyclamen balearicum, creticum, intaminatum, mirabile, parviflorum, purpurascens, repandum, alpinum) while others prefer a more open site,even with a couple of hours of sun (Cyclamen coum, cilicium , graecum, hederifolium,libanoticum, pseudibericum).

Cyclamen can tolerate many soil types and a wide range of pH, although they prefer aslightly alkaline, well-drained soil. Soil pH below 5.5 should be avoided. All speciesappreciate having PermaTill or pea gravel incorporated into the soil if drainage is aconcern, and the woodland species (Cyclamen purpurascens, Cyclamen repandum,Cyclamen creticum) enjoy a soil amended with leaf compost and composted bark.

Cyclamen hederifolium and Cyclamen graecum tubers should be planted with the top of the tuber just below, the soil surface, although slightly deeper is also fine. NancyGoodwin tells me that she finds the spring-flowering species prefer to be planted slightlydeeper since it helps keep them from sprouting too early in spring. In the wild, I found

most tubers of Cyclamen graecum and Cyclamen creticum at a depth of 3-9". The lesshardy species are certainly better if planted 3-6" deep for protection from cold winter air.Some species even have contractile roots that will pull the tuber down to the appropriatedepth. Be sure to mark the location of your tubers so that you don't damage them whilethey are dormant.

The following list groups the species from easiest to grow in temperate gardens to mostdifficult, based on their cold hardiness and overall adaptability.

1. Cyclamen hederifolium, cilicium , coum, and alpinum2. Cyclamen purpurascens, pseudibericum, repandum, mirabile, rhodium, intaminatum,graecum, colchicum3. Cyclamen balearicum, creticum, and parviflorum4. Cyclamen africanum, coum ssp. elegans, rhodium ssp. peloponnesiacum, persicum,rohlfsianum, and somalense

Cyclamen are also grown in containers by plant collectors. This is a great way to showoff the leaves and flowers, and in the UK, potted plants are frequent award winners infloral shows. If you've ever tried to keep a florist cyclamen hybrid alive, you will knowthat this isn't an easy taskespecially for lazy gardeners. That being said, in the nurserywe find the hardy cyclamen quite easy to grow in pots. Cyclamen prefer a high quality,well-drained potting soil, and a near perfect watering regimen. The tubers do not like tofreeze and thaw repeatedly in the winter, so locate your pots so that extreme winter temperatures are moderated. A cold frame or similar structure works perfectly for overwintering the pots. Repotting should be done during the summer dormant period,although cyclamen prefer to be somewhat potbound.

In containers, a yearly application of a good slow release fertilizer is recommended, just before the foliage begins to grow. In the ground, no fertilizer should be needed if the soilis properly tested and amended organically at the time of planting.
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Garden cyclamen are relatively free from pests and diseases. Various insects such asaphids, weevils and thrips will nibble on them from time to time, but if the plants aregrown stress free, pest problems will be virtually non-existent. Container grown plantscan have aphid problems when the new growth emerges.

Propagation

Reportedly, cyclamen tubers may be divided like potatoes during their dormant period.Each cut section must contain at least one growing point (eye) on the top and one root

bud (initial) on the bottom. The cut tubers should be dried for a few days and dusted withfungicide prior to planting. The tubers desiccate quickly, so division can be tricky. Wehave not personally tried this technique. As of 2009 there had only been one successfulcase of cyclamen being cloned by tissue culture, which occurred at Terra Nova Nurserieswho produced a cultivar, Cyclamen coum 'Something Magic'. However, in 2010 a tissueculture protocol was developed that worked for several Cyclamen species and was

published by a Dr. Anika Prange and team in Germany.The best way to propagate garden cyclamen is to collect and sow seeds. Cyclamen arefacultative out-crossers so they will set seed best if there are multiple plants growing near each other (that are not clones). Keep an eye on the developing fruits. They will start tosoften prior to splitting open. You need to collect the seed after they are mature, but

before the fruit opens since insects will likely haul them away before you do. Ripe seedchange color from white to light brown. When they dry out, they turn dark brown.

Since the seed have no dormancy requirements, they are best sown fresh and willgerminate in 2-4 weeks. They can also be dried and stored for a year or so if needed. Seedsown after the parent plants go dormant can wait until the typical growing season begins

before sprouting. The longer the seed have been stored, the more erratic the germinationwill be. Since light inhibits germination, sow seed " deep in a pot with good potting soilsuch as Fafard. Keep the pot slightly moist but not water-logged, allowing the surface to

just become dry between waterings. If the mix dries too much, the seedlings will die.Ideal seed germinating temperatures should be based on the temperature in their nativehabitat when the plants sprout. In other words, plants which emerge from dormancy insummer germinate at a much higher temperature than species that emerge from dormancyin winter. The germinating seeds will first form a small tuber, followed by a single leaf. I

prefer to transplant them to individual cell pack flats at this time. With good care, your cyclamen should start to flower in about 18 months, at which point they can be plantedinto the garden.

Cyclamen taxa - Species and hybrids

Cyclamen africanum grows in scrub and rocky gullies in northern Algeria and Tunisia. Itis very closely related to Cyclamen hederifolium, and will interbreed with it. There arediploid (2n=34) and tetraploid (2n=68) forms, both vigorous plants with large coarse,

bright green, leathery leaves. Leaf patterns are generally less distinct than in many other
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species although "silver" leafed forms exist. The leaves are often very large, frequentlyexceeding 4" in diameter. Flowers vary from pale pink to a deep rose-pink. TheCyclamen africanum that we grow is marginally hardy in our Zone 7b garden, but our C.africanum accessions could possibly be hybrids with C. hederifolium, which wouldexplain their unexpected hardiness. (Hardiness Zone 8-9)

Cyclamen alpinum (a.k.a. Cyclamen trochopteranthum) is native to southwest Turkey upto 4,600' elevation. The most unique feature is the propeller-like appearance of theflowers which is caused by the petals being only reflexed 90 (rather than the usual 180)and then slightly twisted. The honey-scented flowers top the small plant from mid-August through December. The leaves are deep green with grey-green or cream coloredmarbling. (Hardiness Zone 7-9, at least)

Cyclamen balearicum comes from the mountains of the Mediterranean islands of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Cabrera (the Balearic Islands). Cyclamen balearicum isclosely related to Cyclamen creticum and Cyclamen repandum and will hybridize with

the latter. It is a small species with grey-green leaves, often with a silver sheen and acrimson underside. The sweetly scented flowers with twisted petals are white, but oftenwith a veining of pale pink or white...similar to Cyclamen intaminatum. Most aresubtropical, but we are growing a cold-tolerant selection here at Juniper Level BotanicGardens. (Hardiness Zone 8-9, at least)

Cyclamen cilicium is a native of Turkey that prefers more sun and better drainage thanother species. The round leaves are usually green and silver-mottled. The honey-scentedflowers range in color from deep pink to white. In NC, Cyclamen cilicium flowers fromearly October through December...just preceding Cyclamen coum. Our clumps havethrived for more than a decade under a large eucalyptus tree...very dry in the summer.(Hardiness Zone 5-8 at least)

Cyclamen colchicum is native to the Caucasus mountains, but is rare in cultivation. It hasthick, leathery, heart-shaped leaves with finely toothed edges and a narrow silver pattern.The flowers are carmine pink, fragrant, and the petals are slightly twisted. We do notgrow this species here at Juniper Level Botanic Garden. (Hardiness Zone 5-7, possiblycolder)

Cyclamen coum are exquisite little gems that burst forth in late fall with small, rounded,quarter-sized leaves of black-green...occasionally patterned with dramatic silver markings. The foliage is topped in late winter (December - March in NC) by 2" tallstalks, topped with flowers that range from pink to purple. Cyclamen coum was named

by the Royal Horticultural Society as one of the top 200 plants of the last 200 years. Thisspecies is native in open conditions in Bulgaria, Turkey, Israel, Syria, and Lebanon,through Georgia and the Crimea to northern Iran. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Cyclamen coum 'Blush' has silver leaves, topped with spikes of soft pink flowers withrounded petals.
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Cyclamen coum 'Maurice Dryden' has a strong silver leaf form, topped with stalks of white flowers with magenta blotch at the base.

Cyclamen coum 'Pewter Leaf' has quarter-sized pewter leaves, highlighted by a dramatic black-green border. The small clumps are adorned in late winter (January, February in

NC) by 2" tall spikes of flowers, ranging from pink to purple.

Cyclamen coum 'Rubrum' is a commercially produced seed strain with bright carmine- pink flowers, although the Latinized name is nomenclaturally invalid.

Cyclamen coum 'Tilebarn Elizabeth' from Tilebarn Nursery has solid green leaves andmagenta flowers that fade in the center to white.

Cyclamen coum Silver Leaf is a seed strain with small, rounded, quarter-sized silver leaves highlighted by a dramatic black green border. The small clumps are adorned inlate winter (January, February in NC), by the 2" tall spikes of flowers ranging from pink

to purple.Cyclamen coum 'Something Magic' is the first cloned selection to be successful in tissueculture (Terra Nova Nurseries) after several hundred attempts. The small, dark green,rounded leaves are highlighted by a pewter center. The clumps, which sprout from a thick corm, are topped with short violet-pink flowers in late winter.

Cyclamen coum ssp. caucasicum hails from the Caucasus and is similar to the speciesexcept the leaf may be slightly scalloped.

Cyclamen creticum is native to Crete and Karpathos, but rare in cultivation. The leavesappear in late autumn and the pure white, faintly scented flowers appear in April andMay. Leaves are dark green with either a silver wash or silver specks. This is a woodland

plant, closely related to C. repandum and C. balearicum that likes dappled shade. This isreportedly not a cold hardy plant, but we found these growing above the tree line at over 3,000' elevation in Crete, so there is most certainly far more hardiness potential than has

been realized. Nancy Goodwin says that late spring frosts pose a problem for both C.creticum and related species in our climate. Cyclamen creticum likes more shade thanmost species and prefers growing in damp conditions with leaf debris and compost.(Hardiness Zone 7b-9)

Cyclamen cyprium is found only on the island of Cyprus. The very strongly scented,small, graceful, white flowers have narrow petals and a magenta blotch at the base of the

petals. Small olive-green leaves with light green markings appear with the flowers inautumn. (Hardiness Zone 8-10, guessing)

Cyclamen elegans is native to Iran but rare in the commercial trade. We do not currentlygrow this species here at Juniper Level Botanic Garden. It has heart-shaped leaves with anarrow silver spear-shaped pattern. The flowers are larger than other species and are pink with a dark purple mark at the base of the petals. The petals are long and pointed at the


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tip. (Hardiness Zone 9-10, guessing)

Cyclamen graecum is a rarely grown cyclamen species that is one of our favorites. It's a bit more difficult than C. hederifolium, so don't make this species your first attempt withhardy cyclamen. While not as vigorous as Cyclamen hederifolium, the very dark green,

velvety-appearing foliage (often patterned silver) is stunning even when not in flower.The leaves include some of the most striking patterns and vivid color combinations foundin the entire genus. In late summer and fall, the tiny clumps are topped with flowers of red, pink, rose, or white...rising just above the foliage. Cyclamen graecum prefers a moresunny site than most of the other cyclamen species. This is a variable species with a wilddistribution in Greece, Crete, Turkey, and Cyprus on screes and other rocky sites.(Hardiness Zone 7-9)

Cyclamen graecum var. anatolicum has smaller flowers than the species but are sweetlyscented.

Cyclamen graecum 'Glyfada', discovered by Brian Mathew at Glyfada near Athens, has acompletely silver leaf with no hastate pattern, topped by stalks of pale magenta flowers.

Cyclamen graecum 'Rhodopou' is a pewter-leaf strain from plants which grow on theRhodopou peninsula in Crete.

Cyclamen graecum ssp. candicum originates from the Lefka Ori region of Crete. Flowersare white to pale pink, usually with a deep purple basal blotch.

Cyclamen hederifolium has striking green and silver mottled, ivy-shaped foliage thatemerges in early October, making 6-24" wide mounds. The leaves often emerge from theground as much as 1' away from the tubers, attached by a long underground leaf petiole.Starting in July most years, and continuing through fall, the tiny pink flowers pokethrough the ground months prior to the emerging foliage. Cyclamen hederifolium aregreat in mass and will naturalize in woodland settings. Cyclamen hederifolium wasnamed by the Royal Horticultural Society as one of the top 200 plants of the last 200years. This species has a wide distribution from France to Turkey. (Hardiness Zone 4-8)

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Album' are selected white-flowered forms.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Bowles's Apollo' has a pewter colored leaf with a green arrow inthe center and a silver shield inside.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Nettleton Silver' is a seed strain developed by the UK's AlanMartin that is composed of mostly silver leaves that emerge after the white flowers finishin fall.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Pearlentippich' has white flowers.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Pewter White' has white flowers and pewter leaves.
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Cyclamen hederifolium 'Rosentippich' has rose colored flowers.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Silver Arrow' has gorgeous leaves are edged with green, andmoving inward have successive silver and green sections. The center of the leaf has an

ivy-leaf shaped silver marking. The flowers are light pink.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Silver Cloud' is an introduction from UK cyclamen specialistPhil Cornish, who bred these from the "Apollo" group of Cyclamen hederifolium. For us,these have been stunning with their solid pewter silver leaves from fall into spring. Infall, the plants are topped with complementary spikes of bright pink flowers.

Cyclamen hederifolium var. confusum has leaves that are shorter and wider than thespecies. They are also shiny and may or may not have patterning.

Cyclamen hederifolium 'White Cloud' has white flowers and silver arrow-shaped leaves.

Cyclamen intaminatum is a diminutive plant native to Turkey. The flowers, which arewhite with grey veins or pale pink, appear in autumn, emerging either before or alongwith the leaves. The leaves are almost round and are either plain green or have a greymarbling in the center. Cyclamen intaminatum is fairly hardy, but due to its small statureis usually grown in pots or in an alpine garden. (Hardiness Zone 5-8, at least)

Cyclamen libanoticum is native to Lebanon and has large flowers which appear in earlyspring. The flowers open white and turn pale rose pink, particularly towards the tips of the petals. There is a small crimson-magenta blotch at the base of each petal. The leavesare greyish-green, usually with a grey marbled pattern. Although cold hardy, it does notlike both low temperatures and wet conditions, and the flowers are often damaged byfreezing temperatures. Plant it amongst tree roots or against the base of a wall for bestresults. (Hardiness Zone 7-10)

Cyclamen mirabile is a group of little tubers that we love, not only for the charming pink flowers produced in fall, but also for the highly ornamental silver dollar-sized foliagewhich is often intricately patterned in silver and green. The 1" very pink flowers nod, asis typical of the genus, and the individual petals are often twisted. New foliage emergesin autumn and is sometimes flushed pink. This species is native to Turkey on rocky hillslopes. (Hardiness zone 6-8 at least)

Cyclamen mirabile 'Tilebarn Anne' is an overall silver leafed form with pink flowers. Theleaf veins are quite marked and impart a striking character to the bright silver leaves,which usually have a strong pink hue when they first appear.

Cyclamen mirabile 'Tilebarn Jan' is a white flowered form of Cyclamen mirabilesometimes with a pink blush to the nose of the flower.

Cyclamen mirabile 'Tilebarn Nicholas' has a leaf with a Christmas tree shape in the
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center, surrounded by a wide pink/silver band.

Cyclamen parviflorum is a very small alpine plant from northeast Turkey that we do notcurrently grow here at Juniper Level Botanic Garden. It is difficult to grow and is thesmallest known cyclamen. It has small green heart-shaped leaves and pink or purple

flowers. It is quite cold hardy but cannot tolerate heat. (Hardiness Zone 5-7a, guessing)

Cyclamen persicum (Florist's Cyclamen) grows wild in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel,Jordan, the Greek Algeria and Tunisia, but not in Persia as the name implies. Cyclamen

persicum is the parent species of the florist's cyclamen but the cultivated varieties nolonger resemble the wild types. The flowers are generally fragrant, white or soft pink with a deep pink or crimson-magenta zone at the base of each petal and appear in latewinter through spring. The leaves are green, often with marbling on the upper surface.Cyclamen persicum is principally a tender plant which will not tolerate frost, but thereare some potentially cold-tolerant taxa from high altitude populations that we are trialinghere at Juniper Level Botanic Garden. Although there are a small number of inter-specific

hybrids, the common usage of the term " Cyclamen Hybrids" or "Florist's Cultivars" refersto intra-specific hybrids of Cyclamen persicum origin. (Hardiness Zone 9b, guessing)

Cyclamen persicum f. puniceum Lebanon form has flowers that are usually darker pink than plants from other locations. Cyclamen pseudibericum is a choice late winter andearly spring flowering species that flowers alongside Cyclamen coum. The clumps arecomposed of toothed heart shaped dark green leaves (purple underneath), oftenhighlighted with dramatic silver patterns. The flattened clumps of foliage on this Turkishnative are topped with dense clusters of light to dark pink, shooting star-like, large,fragrant flowers. (Hardiness Zone 7-8)

Cyclamen pseudibericum f. roseum is a 1966 introduction that was collected at Dortyol inTurkey. The flowers are a beautiful rose pink.

Cyclamen purpurascens is a Mediterranean species that we have had good luck with, provided it is planted where it can stay fairly dry in the summer months. In the wild, it isfound on alkaline soils throughout much of Europe, hailing from as high as 4,200 feetelevation...further north than any other cyclamen species. The round patterned leaves anddark pink fragrant flowers spring alive in June and continue into August, adding greatcolor to the summer woodland garden. In colder climates, great drainage in the winter iskey to good survival. This species does not go dormant and retains its leaves throughoutthe year. The seeds are slow to germinate. (Hardiness zone 5-7 probably colder)

Cyclamen repandum, which is native to Italy, Corsica, and Algeria, is considered bysome gardeners to be the loveliest of the hardy cyclamen species. The leaves are ivy-shaped with a slightly dentate edge and a variety of silver patterns. The sweetly-scentedflowers, often with twisted petals, are pink to purple and are produced in profusion.Cyclamen repandum is considered to be difficult to grow because it does not tolerate

being too wet or too dry and does not tolerate too much exposure to wind. We do notcurrently grow this species here at Juniper Level Botanic Garden, but according to
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plantswoman Nancy Goodwin, this and its relatives are best when planted 2-3" deep.(Hardiness Zone 7-9, guessing)

Cyclamen rhodium (syn: C. repandum ssp. rhodense) is the result of tremendoustaxonomic confusion. It has been lumped in with Cyclamen repandum, but is much more

closely allied, however, to C. balearicum and has performed very well for us in thegarden. (Hardiness Zone 6-9, guessing)

Cyclamen rhodium ssp. peloponnesiacum (syn. Cyclamen repandum ssp. peloponnesiacum, Cyclamen peloponnesiacum) is native to the Peloponnese area in thesouth of Greece. It is particularly valued for the attractive leaf markings which arespotted and splashed with silvery-white. It has pale pink flowers bearing a deeper pink nose. (Hardiness Zone 6-9, guessing)

Cyclamen rohlfsianum is a rare, difficult to cultivate species that grows only on thefoothills in Libya. It is reportedly not frost-tolerant but we are trialing it here at Juniper

Level Botanic Garden. It has pink, sweetly fragrant flowers in the autumn. The leaves,whose lower surface is either purplish or red, appear in late summer, and are unique inthe genus. They are dark green with light green or silver patterns with an ivy geranium or maple-like shape. Cyclamen rohlfsianum is the only species that always has flowers with

protruding anthers like Dodecatheon. Keep this one very dry. (Hardiness Zone 9-10,guessing)

Cyclamen somalense is a recently discovered Somalian species that we do not currentlygrow here at Juniper Level Botanic Garden. The leaves are rather fleshy, deep dull greenwith a marked silvery pattern in the middle above, with purple beneath. The flowers,which appear with the leaves, are pale pink suffused with carmine around the mouth andheld just atop the foliage. (Hardiness Zone 9-10, guessing)

Cyclamen Hybrids

Cyclamen do not hybridize in the wild. In cultivation, they cross only with somedifficulty because most species have different chromosome numbers. There are only 7registered hybrids with 4 or 5 more putative crosses that have not yet been registered.Their traits are usually intermediate between the parents unless otherwise noted.

Cyclamen x drydeniae (Cyclamen coum x Cyclamen alpinum). The offspring generallyhave twisted petals and are fertile. (Hardiness Zone 5-8, at least)

Cyclamen x hildebrandii (Cyclamen africanum x Cyclamen hederifolium) is the firstregistered hybrid, created in 1955. The resulting plants resemble C. hederifolium onsteroids, with a more muted leaf pattern. (Hardiness Zone 7-8, at least)

Cyclamen x meiklei (Cyclamen creticum x Cyclamen repandum) (Hardiness Zone 7b-9,guessing)
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Cyclamen x saundersiae (Cyclamen balearicum x Cyclamen rhodium ssp. peloponnesiacum) has variable silver spotted and marbled leaves, and usually pink flowers. (Hardiness Zone 7-9, guessing)

Cyclamen x schwarzii (Cyclamen libanoticum x Cyclamen pseudibericum) (Hardiness

Zone 7-9, guessing)

Cyclamen x wellensiekii (Cyclamen cyprium x Cyclamen libanoticum) is named after Professor Dr Ir. S.J. Wellensiek of the Agricultural University of Wageningen,

Netherlands, who first produced the hybrid in 1969. It flowers over a long period duringwinter and sets fertile seed. The flowering period is greatly extended and lasts as long as6 months. (Hardiness Zone 7b-9, guessing)

Cyclamen x whiteae (Cyclamen graecum x Cyclamen hederifolium) The flowers of thiscross are unusually stubby. (Hardiness Zone 6-8, at least)

Conclusion

Hardy cyclamen are truly great garden plants and with a diverse collection so you canenjoy their flowers year round. Even without flowers, the intricately patterned leaves arestunning...sort of like snowflakes...no two are the same. Under the correct growingconditions, there are few easier to maintain plants in the garden...we hope you will enjoytrying cyclamens in your own garden. A special thanks to Nancy Goodwin of Montrosefor her very helpful review and comments.

References

The Cyclamen Society, http://www.cyclamen.org

Druse, K. & Roach, M., (2004), The Collector's Garden, Timber Press, Portland Oregon,Pg. 65

Grey-Wilson, C., (2002), Cyclamen: A Guide for Gardeners, Horticulturists andBotanists, Timber Press, Portland Oregon

Loewer, P. (1988), Success with Cyclamens, Horticulture Magazine, February issue. Pp.50-55

Prangea, A., et. al., Regeneration of different Cyclamen species via somaticembryogenesis from callus, suspension cultures and protoplasts, Scientia Horticulturae,Vol 125, Iss 3, Pg 28 June 2010, Pages 442-450
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Documents

Cyclamen for the temperate garden