Cyclamen Care

Fact Sheet – PC3

1100 W. Moana Ln., Reno, NV 89509 11301 So. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89511

Key Points:

· 55° to 60°F is ideal for cyclamen.

· Needs bright indirect sunlight while in bloom.

· Keep the soil moist while in bloom, but don’t allow it to dry out.

· When watering, use tepid water and don’t dampen the crown.

· Water all over inside the pot, instead of directly over it.

· Set the bare pot on a plate of wet pebbles to provide extra humidity.

Someone once said that the flowers of cyclamen look like butterflies stopped in motion above water lilies – an accurate description for such a striking plant. Flowers are held high above the foliage and face downward, but the petals reverse, pointing upwards to give the blossoms a look resembling butterflies in flight.

Blooms are white, pink, red, magenta, lavender and deep purple. The heart-shaped leaves are marbled light green or gray. Growth emerges from a corm very similar to a bulb.

Growth Guidelines

· While 55° to 60°F is ideal, this plant can tolerate temperatures down to 40°F.

· Remove faded blooms at the point of their origin.

· When the flowers have faded, pinch them off and begin fertilizing with a dilute solution until new leaves appear.

· When leaves begin to fade, stop fertilizing and gradually reduce water. This allows the corm to go dormant.

· When the soil has become completely dry and all of the leaves have died down, allow it to rest for six to twelve weeks in a cool, dark place. Ideally, plants should be allowed to stay dormant during the warmest weather and flower in winter and spring.

· Remove the corm from the pot and replant in fresh potting soil with 1/3 to 1/2 of the top portion of the corm protruding above the surface of the soil.

· When a new leaf forms, begin watering again and fertilize once a month until flower buds form.