Florist’s Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) Growing & Care Guide for Gardeners
Article by Dean Ravenscroft, Ph.D. - Updated 1st Feb 2024
- Plant Characteristics: Features heart-shaped leaves and has distinctive, swept-back flowers in shades of pink, white, red, and purple. A popular indoor plant that adds color during fall and winter.
- Growing & Care: Prefers cool temperatures and indirect light. Ensure well-drained soil and water from below to avoid wetting the foliage. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
- Tips for New Gardeners: Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage new blooms. Ideal for brightening indoor spaces during cooler months.
The Cyclamen persicum plant, better known as Persian Cyclamen or Florist’s Cyclamen, is a great plant to grow for those looking for a little winter color in their garden. Though, they may need to be grown in containers and brought indoors as a colorful winter houseplant in areas that drop beneath about 5°C (41°F) in the winter.
The plant is a shade lover that is naturally found growing in rocky areas beneath shrubs, so it can make a great plant to grow alongside your shrubs and small trees. It is also a great companion plant for Snowdrops, Hellebore and Wake Robin.
Cyclamen persicum at Kew Gardens photograph by chipmunk_1.
It has very pretty flowers, these somewhat resemble butterflies in flight, carried on leafless stems, and basal dark green (sometimes silver variegated) heart shaped leaves.
The leaves are from 2.5 to 12 cm (1 to 5 inches) in length and form attractive mounds, that can reach a height level with the blooms (20 cm / 8 inches).
The blooms can last for as long as three months. In addition to the normal winter flowering season, cultivars are available that bloom from autumn or into the spring.
Plants are native to the coastal areas and islands of the Eastern Mediterranean, from Turkey's Aegean Coast down to the North of Israel.
This range includes many major Greek islands such as Cyprus, Crete, Kos, and, Rhodes; though more northerly islands are likely to have Cyclamen graecum growing there.
Patterned leaves of Cyclamen persicum photograph by Alina Kuptsova.
Cyclamen persicum Cultivars and Varieties
Varieties
C. persicum var. autumnale: This is an early autumn flowering variety.
var. f. roseum: Carries rose to pink petals.
var. f. albidum: Pure white petals.
var. f. puniceum: Red to crimson petals
Cultivars
There are numerous cultivars available:
‘Silver Leaf’: Cultivar native to Libya with Silver colored leaves.
‘Album’: Cultivar native to Israel, pure white flowers, variable leaves.
‘Tilebarn Karpathos’: Twisted leaves, bright deep red flowers.
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Quick Growing and Care Guide
- Scientific Name: Cyclamen persicum
- Common Name(s): Persian Cyclamen, Florist’s Cyclamen.
- Growing Zone (USA / UK Hardiness): 7 to 10 / H1C - outside in the summer - above 5°C (41°F).
Plant Details
- Life Cycle / Plant Type: Evergreen, upright tree.
- Plant Height: 40 to 125 feet (12 to 38 m).
- Plant Spread: 10 to 25 feet (3 to 8 m).
- Blooms: Conifer, does not flower.
- Cone Details: Small spherical seed cones (female).
- Leaf Foliage: Scaly bark, Scale leaves.
Growing Conditions
- Best Light Conditions: Full sun.
- Suitable Soil Types: Well drained. Sandy.
- Suitable Soil pH: Most soil acidities are fine.
- Soil Soil Moisture: Medium.
- Sowing, planting, and Propagation: Semi-hardwood cuttings. From fresh seed in the autumn.
Further Information
- Best used for: Great under shrubs. Rock gardens. Deer Tolerant Plant. Containers, Flower boxes, Hanging baskets.
- Family: Primulaceae (Primroses).
- Closely related species and genera: Cyclamen Plant Genus; Primrose; Alpine Snowbell; Rock Jasmine; and Creeping Jenny.
- Miscellaneous: Cyclamen meaning: Often given to people as a sign of respect and sincerity. The naming of this genus comes from the Greek word for circle 'kýklos' (after the round Cyclamen tubers). Poisonous roots used to be ground down and scattered in lakes to catch fish in mass. Also used to make a soap.
- Buying Cyclamen Plants: If purchasing from a nursery or garden center then ensure that the leaves are sturdy, and that the plant carries lots of buds that have yet to open.
- Further Reading and References used for this Cyclamen persicum growing guide: Florist Cyclamen; Hardy Cyclamen
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Cyclamen persicum plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Pimpernel and Primroses.
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