Growing Cyclamen Indoors

One of the showiest plants on our kitchen windowsill is the “poor man’s orchid” or florist’s cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum). During late winter and early spring, their delicate nodding flowers—pink, red, magenta, white or purple—add an elegant touch to an otherwise drab time of year.

The flowers seem to float above green heart-shaped leaves that are marbled with silver. The plants grow six to 12 inches tall and are especially beautiful when several pots are used as one long centerpiece down a table or when they’re clustered on a kitchen counter, an island, or grouped on a coffee table.

Cyclamen (SIKE-la-men) flower in cooler commercial greenhouses beginning in September. Garden centers, big-box stores and florists generally sell them through late winter, often as holiday or gift plants. But with newer technology to cool greenhouses, I’ve found them at Easter and Mother’s Day.

There are new cyclamen varieties with fancy names to match their ruffled petals and exotic leaves, but most stores simply label plants according to the flower color—pink, white, rose, violet or red. Prices typically range from about $5 to $25 per plant based on pot and plant size. Breeders also have created new miniature cyclamen, some of which are fragrant.

Perennial Cyclamen Plants

There is a perennial cyclamen that can be grown outdoors in Zones 5 to 7—Cyclamen hederifolium—which you’ll find online and at some garden centers. Some species, such as Cyclamen coum and C. purpurascens are grown as hardy perennials from Zone 7 south. They are suited to rock gardens, shady borders and under trees. There are many other hardy varieties for milder climates.

When growing cyclamen as perennials, provide them with good garden loam that drains quickly. They are sensitive to excessive summer moisture because that is when they are typically dormant.

All of the cyclamen’s plant parts are said to cause severe discomfort if ingested, so keep plants and tubers away from children and pets.

Native Habitat

Cyclamen hails from the Mediterranean, and many of the 23 species are native to Italy, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Greece, Syria and parts of North Africa and western Asia. They grow in well-drained woodland soils, alpine meadows, and rocky areas where the summers are dry and winters are cool with few frosts. Their native habitat is a clue that the plants do not like to be waterlogged—they grow in rocky areas with gritty soil where water quickly drains away. And, because they grow in cool conditions during winter, they will sulk if placed near a radiator or warm air vent.

Watering

Watering can be tricky. I learned the hard way that it’s easy to kill a cyclamen by providing too much water or by pouring water directly into the crown of the plant. Cyclamen grow from a tuber—a swollen, horizontal, mostly underground stem that bears leaves, buds, and roots and stores food when the plant is dormant (without leaves or flowers). Overwatering can cause the tuber to rot. The plants should always be grown in pots with drainage holes.

It’s best to take the pot to the sink, water it thoroughly, and then let the excess water drain away for about 30 minutes before placing the pot back on the dry saucer. If you find the leaves are turning yellow, it could be from too much water. Instead of watering from the top of the soil, you can set the pot in a bowl of water and let it “drink” up the water and then put it back on the saucer. Let the soil dry out a bit between waterings but not so much that the leaves begin to wilt.

Temperature & Care

Cyclamen like it on the cool side, preferring temperatures no more than 68 degrees F. (20 C) during the day and down to 50 F. (10 C) at night. It’s not always easy to achieve cooler temperatures in heated, dry rooms. However, an enclosed porch, unheated sunroom, or a bright, cool basement window could serve as that spot. An east- or north-facing windowsill where the plants are out of direct sunlight is best. If you only have south- or west-facing windows, move the plant back a bit so it gets bright filtered light.

Cyclamen flowers often last for two months or more. While they’re in bloom, fertilize the plants every two or three weeks with an all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer. You can extend the bloom time by removing the spent flowers. Don’t use scissors—that will cause the stems to die back and may delay additional flower production. Instead, use your fingers to pinch and pull at the base of the stem.

Dormancy

Cyclamen plants are active growers in the winter months and they go dormant in late spring or early summer. When warm weather approaches, flowering typically stops and the leaves turn yellow. That’s a sign that the plant needs a rest. Some people simply toss out the plant at this point but, if you’re patient, you can encourage a second bloom later in the year. In fact, this is the ultimate lazy gardener plant.

The goal is to mimic the plant’s life in its native habitat. Gradually reduce watering when it stops flowering. Let the leaves turn yellow and wither. Place the plant in a cool spot for a few months where it will remain dry (withhold water entirely). The tuber has stored the necessary energy so you need not worry that the plant will die. When shoots appear in late summer, move the pot to a bright window and begin watering again. It’s that simple.

Cyclamen generally do not need repotting, but if you choose to repot, use a good potting mix and place the tuber close to the soil surface so that it’s slightly exposed. This prevents water from collecting in the tissues, which can rot.

For more information on growing cyclamen, see:

The Cyclamen Society, www.cyclamen.org

The North American Rock Garden Society, //nargs.org/genus/cyclamen