How to Grow Cyclamen Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Sow Bread and Persian Violet

Cyclamen is a genus of low growing plants that are hardy perennials.

Depending on the variety, Cyclamen may flower anytime from late winter to the autumn.

The Leaves and flowers are very attractive: they have beautiful butterfly like flowers and heart shaped leaves.

Common names include Sow bread, Florist's Cyclamen, Persian Cyclamen, and Persian Violets.

Visit this page for more specific information on How to Grow Cyclamen persicum.

Commonly Grown Cyclamen Species

Cyclamen hederifolium: Autumn Blooms. Easy to grow hardy species known as the Persian Violet or Ivy-leaved cyclamen. USA Growing zones 5 to 9, UK hardiness: H5 (Hardy to -10°C (14°F). Grows to about 15 cm (6 inches) tall.

Cyclamen hederifolium flowers photograph by Leonora (Ellie) Enking, Creative Commons.

Cyclamen persicum: Winter Blooming. Frost tender. Bring indoors well before temperatures drop below 5°C (41°F). US zones 9 to 11; UK zone H1C. Sometimes called the Florist's Cyclamen. Grows to about 23 cm (9 inches) in height.

Cyclamen persicum plant by Zachi Evenor, CC.

Cyclamen coum: Spring Bloom. Commonly called the Eastern Cyclamen. Reaches about 10 cm (4 inches) in height. US Hardiness 5 to 9; UK hardiness: H5. Grow in a rock garden, as soil must have excellent drainage. Looks great growing beneath shrubs.

Cyclamen coum plant by peganum, CC.

How to Grow Cyclamen

Cyclamen can be grown from tubers or from seeds. However, it is quite difficult to grow Cyclamen from seed and it can take up to 18 months before they will flower.

Germination of the seeds can take as little as three weeks to over a year! First you will need to soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours.

The seeds should then be sown outside in flats that are north facing in the autumn, are the soil kept moist.

As soon as spring comes bring the flats containing Cyclamen indoors and keep at a temperature of about 13 degrees Centigrade.

Cyclamen photograph by David Short, CC.

Once seedlings emerge they should be transplanted outdoors at a spacing of 15 cm (6 inches) - Only transplant the Cyclamen seedlings when you are sure that there will be no further frosts.

They should be planted into a lightly shaded area of the garden that has good drainage. Ideally the soil that cyclamen grows in should be organic and rich, cool, and a little limy (species dependent).

Cyclamen Care

When growing Cyclamen from tubers, then tubers should be planted at a depth of about 5 cm (2 inches) with their tips close to the surface.

If you require more Cyclamen plants then the tubers can be divided at the end of summer.

Plants do very well in pots and require enough watering to keep soil at a medium moisture level

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