Hardy Cyclamen
Cyclamen hederifolium
A low-growing perennial tuberous plant featuring dainty, reflexed pink or white flowers that emerge on slender stems before or alongside patterned ivy-shaped leaves.
- Light
- Partial shade to full shade, approximately 3 to 6 hours of indirect or filtered sunlight per day.
- Water
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Maintain consistent moisture throughout autumn and winter, but reduce watering significantly when the plant goes dormant in summer to prevent tuber rot.
- Growth
- Low-growing herbaceous perennial with a tuberous root system, reaching heights of 4 to 6 inches and spreading up to 12 inches with a slow to moderate growth rate.
Care instructions
Grow in dappled shade with well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Water moderately during the active growing season and keep relatively dry during summer dormancy. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer sparingly during the growth phase.
Growing details
Sunlight
Partial shade to full shade, approximately 3 to 6 hours of indirect or filtered sunlight per day.
Watering
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Maintain consistent moisture throughout autumn and winter, but reduce watering significantly when the plant goes dormant in summer to prevent tuber rot.
Soil
Well-draining, humus-rich soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH range of 6.0 to 7.5.
Hardiness zone
USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9
Growth habit
Low-growing herbaceous perennial with a tuberous root system, reaching heights of 4 to 6 inches and spreading up to 12 inches with a slow to moderate growth rate.
Bloom season
Late summer through autumn, producing delicate, swept-back petals in shades of pink, magenta, or white, often featuring a darker magenta blotch at the base.
Propagation
Propagated primarily from fresh seeds sown in autumn or by careful division of mature tubers during their summer dormancy period.
Common pests & issues
Susceptible to vine weevils, fungal leaf spots, and root rot caused by overly saturated soil conditions.
Similar species
Cyclamen coum, which has rounded, un-toothed leaves and blooms in winter and early spring rather than autumn.