Cyclamen

Often seen for sale throughout the fall and winter as a houseplant, the native environment for cyclamen is found in Italy, Sicily and also in the clay soil of England. 

The tubers produce a silvery marbled colored leaf and flowers that range from lavender, rose, maroon, red and white. Since Cyclamens love a moist atmosphere, they are perfect for the indoor garden. With elements such as cooler temperatures, plenty of air and lots of moisture you can grow Cyclamen with little problem for many years indoors.

Growing Cyclamen indoors

Starting Cyclamen from seed is a long process. It takes up to eighteen months for you to begin to see any flowers. It is best to purchase a healthy plant from your local nursery in order to get your results much faster.

Cyclamen do not like it warm. The optimum temperature for this plant is 65° F during the daytime and about 50° F at night. Cyclamen need daily watering as most of the stalk of this plant is made up of water.

Cyclamen does best planted in a soil-based potting mix, with the top of the tuber just slightly above the soil line.

After potting your cyclamen, the pot should be placed in a tray with gravel at the bottom to keep the roots at the bottom of the pot from drowning or getting root rot. The evaporation of the water will help keep these fleshy stemmed plants moist and growing quickly. 

Water whenever the soil feels dry. Avoid getting water on the crown of the plant. When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. 

Cyclamen is a tuber and can be divided occasionally to create new plants. This plant will delight you with a blooming period of several months starting in December and continuing through April as long as the elements it is kept in keep it happy. 

Care

Faded flowers need to be removed from the plant. New flowers will come along to replace the faded flowers. 

Cyclamens have a dormancy period that they transition into naturally about the first part of May. Drying the plant tuber out and replanting the following spring is done by placing the corm or tuber with the top half of the root sticking out of the soil. New leaves will appear about July or August and the plant should be transplanted into a pot with rich potting soil mixed with sand. Place the pot in a window where it receives sunlight during the morning hours only. 

Notes

Cyclamen is toxic to man and fish, so be sure to place the plant out of the reach of children. The juice of the plant has been used in holistic medicine as an emetic and to draw infection from open sores. This practice should be administered only by a professional that knows what they are doing. People have died from improper usage.