This month, when I walk into nurseries or garden centers, I’m immediately attracted to the vibrantly colored cyclamen. As a relatively new holiday plant, cyclamen is a unique and handsome plant that brings “flower color” indoors for a month or more.
The flowers of bright red, purple, deep rosy pink and white have reflexed (turned backward) petals. The thick heart-shaped foliage makes the plant resemble an African violet.
Florist cyclamen have been a favorite indoor plant since the early 17th Century when Europeans imported them from their Mediterranean home. For the next three centuries, hybridizers have developed many new varieties that include single, double, fringed, crested and frilled flower forms. The care instructions for all indoor cyclamen remain the same.
Temperature requirements
Cyclamen that are sold as houseplants are tropical and cannot tolerate temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Do check the plant label to see the hardiness of the plant you are buying. Cyclamen prefer daytime temperatures of 60-65 degrees and slightly cooler nighttime temperatures. If temperatures rise consistently above 70 degrees, cyclamen may fail to develop buds or drop existing buds.
Watering needs
Cyclamen are sensitive to both over and under-watering. Select a potting medium that holds water well. Soil should be kept evenly moist, never drying out. The fibrous tubers that support the plant are prone to rot if the soil is soaking wet.
Water mature cyclamen plants under the foliage but near the pot’s rim, away from the tuber. Take care that water doesn’t touch the stems or leaves because it can cause them to deteriorate. Soak the soil thoroughly and let excess water drain out.
Light requirements
Cyclamen grow well in bright, indirect light. For best results, consider placing cyclamen in a very bright east or west-facing window. If your window is on the south-side, move the plant a few feet from the window itself or filter the light with a sheer curtain. Moist humid air encourages strong growth.
Encouraging blooms
Select cyclamen plants in bloom and with several newly-formed buds. The blooms show the plant’s color and the closed buds ensure a few more weeks of bloom before the plant goes into dormancy. After the cyclamen blooms, it goes into a dormant state. As it moves into dormancy, the plant will drop its leaves and look like it is dying. It is not dead, but going through its natural rejuvenation cycle. It is conserving energy so it can feed its tuber for another year of blooming.
It can be tricky to get cyclamen to bloom again. When the plant goes dormant place it in a shady spot for a few weeks. Keep the soil consistently moist, never letting it get too dry or too wet. After six to eight weeks of rest, move it back into the bright, indirect light.
Check the cyclamen tuber and make sure it has not outgrown the pot. If the tuber seems crowded, repot the plant to a larger pot. Feed it with a balanced liquid house plant fertilizer in a water solution once a week or every other week. When the leaves start to grow, resume normal cyclamen care. Blooms should appear in a short time.
Cyclamen and pets
While hardy, cyclamen is poisonous to both dogs and cats. Pets get into trouble by eating tubers and may have symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea and salivation. Always keep this plant away from your pets.
I am smitten by cyclamen with their striking flowers, beautiful speckled foliage and multiple types of flowers. They make elegant holiday gifts as well as add color to your houseplant collection. With some TLC, you can have flourishing cyclamen for years.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Victoria County Master Gardener Association
