Cyclamens Are Exotic "butterflies" That Can Decorate Your Home And Garden

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Flower fantasy

In Italy, with the onset of autumn weather, with cool sunny days, like in a fairy tale, all forest lawns and roadsides are covered with pale pink flowers of wild cyclamens.

The blooming of wild cyclamens is a fascinating sight. They settle wherever there is moist, drained land, illuminated by the gentle sun. From the side it seems as if a flock of beautiful, exotic butterflies sat down to rest on a green carpet. Small flowers fly up over the grass cover, their leaves are not even visible. And it is hard to believe that it was from them that the beautiful, majestic, decorative cyclamens, so beloved all over the world, were bred.

In Italy, it is one of the most popular winter flowers, it was first bred by the ancient Romans.

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Cyclamen (Latin Cyclamen) belongs to the family of primroses (Primulaceae). His homeland is Iran and the Eastern Mediterranean. The most often cultivated are Persian cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), Neapolitan cyclamen (Cyclamen neapolitanum), Cilician cyclamen (Cyclamen cilicium), Kos cyclamen (Cyclamen coum), European cyclamen (Cyclamen europaeum).

Over the centuries, breeders have bred countless cyclamen hybrids. Shades of colors range from white and pale pink to bright red and deep purple.

Flowers also differ in shape: some look like butterflies preparing for flight, others have open petals, like those of an asterisk, and still others modestly bow their heads. Their petals are also different - they can be with smooth or corrugated edges. Many of them have been combined in a series.

Every year, breeders continue to delight us with new hybrids of this beautiful flower. I would like to tell you about cyclamen from the HALIOS series. New hybrids of this series received the romantic name Fantasia (Fantasia Rouge - bright tones of red, burgundy and Fantasia Fuchsia). Fantasy flowers have a compact, medium-sized shape. Their petals, raised high up, seem to make it possible to admire the beautifully curved canvas along their edge with thin light dash lines. Even a brush is difficult to paint like that!

Fantasia has abundant flowering, beautiful flowers, up to 30 pieces on one plant, like precious crowns rise above the decorative, marble leaves of a slightly rounded shape. And although the size of their flowers is slightly smaller than that of many other hybrids, the Italians immediately liked and fell in love with them. I also added them to my collection, to the very beautiful cyclamen from the Latinia series - (Violet foncé and Violet cattleya) - they are new from last year. Their large petals in bright colors have an elegant thin white stripe along the edges.

These cyclamen hybrids bloom early, in September. They bloom for a long time - three, three and a half months, withstand light frosts. Leaves are preserved on the plant throughout the growing season, sometimes they are not even shed in summer. In this case, I transfer the cyclamen to a shaded place in the garden and watch very carefully so that the earthen lump does not dry out.

We are used to thinking that cyclamen is a houseplant, but it feels great outdoors until the frost, and serves as an adornment for balconies, gardens, borders. Cyclamens can be used to create compositions. Their combination with pansies planted in terracotta vases is original. And if you put cyclamen, ornamental cabbage and Erica (Calluna vulgaris 'Arabella'), you get a bright composition, especially pleasing in inclement weather. In the garden, cyclamens can be placed among the stones, creating a resemblance to natural compositions.

Temperature control and lighting

After purchase, the plant must be given several days to adapt, placed in a shaded place. Then, in order for the cyclamen to bloom profusely and for a long time, the pot must be placed in a very bright place. The only remark: it is still better to avoid direct sunlight, shading the plants a little.

Cyclamens can withstand temperature drops and light frosts well. Then they need to be moved to a protected, cool place - on a glazed balcony, in the space between frames or in a greenhouse. It is not scary if direct sunlight still falls on the flowers, the most important thing is to keep the flower away from heat sources, avoiding hot air getting on the leaves and flowers - this can lead to the death of the plant.

The ideal temperature for a flower is 15 ° C, at this temperature the flowering period will be long - from 3 to 3.5 months and very abundant.

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Watering and fertilizing

It is better to water in a pan - this has been tested in practice so that water does not get on the tuber or in the middle of the rosette of leaves, as this can lead to rotting of the tuber. After a quarter of an hour, the remaining water must be removed. Watering is necessary only when the soil is almost dry. During the flowering period, cyclamens need constant fertilization, they need to be fed with a full mineral fertilizer once a week.

Another prerequisite for leaving is the constant removal of damaged, yellowed leaves and wilted flowers. They are removed by carefully twisting the petiole at the base or using scissors, but always clean. In no case should you pull out the leaves.

Possible problems

Cyclamen is a flower that loves the golden mean; the cause of plant disease can be too low or high temperature, too humid or dry air. Decay of petioles, flower and leaf, is most often the result of careless watering and too high room temperatures.

In a cold room with high humidity or with poor air circulation on plants, gray rot on flowers and cyclamen buds may appear. The short flowering period may be due to improper watering or inappropriate temperature conditions. In any case, do not be upset, just return to proper care and the flower will recover.

Pests

Of the special pests, the cyclamen mite and thrips can be noted.

If the edges of the leaves of your flower curl up and seem covered with dust - we are dealing with a cilamene mite, it is necessary to remove the damaged parts of the plant as soon as possible and spray it with an insecticide.

If the upper part of the leaf becomes grayish-brown with a silvery sheen, it means that we have thrips, the plant must be sprayed with an insecticide and placed in a cooler place; too high air temperature is one of the reasons for the appearance of thrips.

Summer rest

Cyclamens are characterized by a period of summer dormancy. At the end of May, with the onset of hot weather, the leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow and fall off. But this does not mean at all that the plant dies, its roots remain viable. At this time, it is necessary to place the flower pot in a cool, dark place and water it occasionally, not allowing the earthen coma to dry out.

In early August, as soon as young leaves appear, the cyclamen is transplanted either into a ready-made special soil for plants that love acidic soil, or an earthen mixture is made, consisting of leafy earth, humus, peat and sand (3: 1: 1: 1). At the same time, the tuber should rise by 1/3 above the ground, then the plant is placed in the shade for several days. The diameter of the pot for a one-, two-year-old plant should be 7-8 cm, for an older one - 10-14.

Subject to these simple care requirements, cyclamens will delight you with their flowering for many years, for example, they have been living with me and blooming profusely for seven years.