Cyclamen species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to Iran, with one species in Somalia. Habitat ranges from beech (Fagus) woodland, to scrub and rocky areas, to alpine meadows. Some cyclamen species and likely some cultivars have naturalized in Greater Victoria and in oak woodlands around Seattle, Washington and Eugene, Oregon.
Cyclamen also called as Sowbread, is a genus of perennials flowering plant in the Primulaceae family. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. These plants are low-growing perennial herbs from tubers, with distinctive flowers having petals that sweep backwards (reflexed). Cyclamens are popular garden plants that readily naturalize and hybridize.
IDENTIFY CYCLAMEN PLANT - SOWBREAD
Cyclamen species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to Iran, with one species in Somalia. Habitat ranges from beech (Fagus) woodland, to scrub and rocky areas, to alpine meadows. Some cyclamen species and likely some cultivars have naturalized in Greater Victoria and in oak woodlands around Seattle, Washington and Eugene, Oregon.
These plants are tuberous perennials, flowering either in fall or early spring, depending on species. Leaf appearance is variable both within and among species. They are generally round to kidney- to heart-shaped, shallowly lobed to coarsely toothed, dark green with silver-grey patterns above and often purplish-red below. Leaves may be present from late autumn and last through winter into spring. Flowers have reflexed petals, range in colour from pale to deep pink, on flower stems (pedicels) that bend down at the top so flowers face downwards. Fruits are numerous round capsules held either loosely on the pedicel, or the pedicel becomes tightly coiled and arcs toward the ground. Capsules lie on top of the tuber and become inserted below the soil. When dry, the capsules release several seeds having a brown fatty projection (eliaosome). Seedlings produce plump, tear-drop shaped roots that mature to dark brown potato-like or disc-shaped tubers.
Sowbread spend part of the year in growth, and the other part in a dormant state. During this phase there is no visible foliage, although in some species, pedicels bearing seed capsules remain on the plant as the seeds mature. During the dormant period, the plant remains in the form of a swollen root, or tuber. Vegetative growth begins at the onset of cooler, damper conditions. Leaves unfurl first, followed by flowers. C. hederifolium blooms in late fall, C. coum in late winter to early spring, and C. parviflorum in mid- to late spring, although time of bloom can vary within each species. In C. hederifolium, foliage dies back before flowers open, while in other species, flowering occurs when foliage is mature. Cyclamens freely self-sow. Reproducing exclusively from seed, cyclamens are pollinated by insects but can also self-fertilize. Mature seeds germinate where they fall from the fruit capsules, but are also dispersed short distances by woodland ants, which are attracted to the elaiosome. Ants carry the seeds to their nest, consume the elaiosome, then discard the intact seed.
YCLAMEN PLANT - SOWBREAD CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Cyclamen prefers bright, filtered light, but keep it out of direct sunlight, which might scorch the leaves. This plant does not perform well in low light. Near a sunny window is preferred. From late autumn to early spring, provide your plant with as much light as possible. Sunburn is usually not an issue this time of year, although you may want to avoid placing your plant directly in front of a south-facing window.
Temperature:
Keep the plant cool at all times, so that its flowers last‐longer. Warmer temperatures will shorten the plant's life. Do not place on or near any heat source, like a vent, a fireplace or a television set. Daytime temperatures of 65 to 70°F are ideal. They prefers cooler temperatures at night, preferably between 40 and 50°F. It will however tolerate evening temperatures up to 65°F.
Humidity:
High humidity, especially during winter, is crucial. Keep the plant on a tray of water with a layer of pebbles or something else to form a shelf for the plant pot to sit on. Do not let the plant itself sit in the water. To prevent disease problems, it is also a good idea to maintain good air movement around the plant.
Substrate and growing media:
Sowbread prefer poor, well-drained soils. Grown indoors, they needs a mixture of equal parts houseplant potting soil and peat moss, with half the crown above the soil. When grown outdoors, they are at their happiest around the base of deciduous trees and large shrubs. These are areas that are cool and shady in the summer but light and moist during the autumn and winter.
Watering:
Watering incorrectly can cause many problems, especially when too much water has been applied. Always wait until the soil surface feels dry before you water, but don't wait until the plant becomes limp. Do not water the center of the plant or the tuber may rot. The plants prefers to receive a good soaking, then dry out partially before receiving a good soaking again. Allow the plant to drain over a sink or empty the water collection tray beneath the container after a few minutes. This will help prevent the roots from remaining too wet, which can lead to rotting.
Fertilizer:
Fertilize your plant with a water-soluble fertilizer recommended for use on indoor plants, mixed half strength. Apply it every 3 or 4 weeks, starting about a month after you receive the plant. Overfeeding is more likely to produce foliage than flowers.
Pruning:
Dead flowers or leaves should be removed by giving their stems a sharp tug. If a sharp tug doesn't remove them, wait another day and try again. You don't want to risk yanking out a chunk of the tuber along with other healthy leaves.
Rest period:
Cyclamen requires a rest period after flowering. In nature it goes dormant during the summer months, comes into growth as cooler, damper weather starts, flowers in autumn, winter or spring, and goes dormant again as the summer becomes warm. Stop watering when the leaves turn yellow and wither. Keep the pot in a cool place, if possible, and allow the soil to become dry. It may be placed outdoors during the summer in a location where rainfall won't reach it, out of direct sunlight. Once all the leaves have dried, a process that could take up to two months, the tuber may be repotted into a container that is 1 inch larger in diameter than the old pot. This is usually necessary only every 2 years. Use a packaged, peaty soil mixture. The top half of the tuber should protrude above the soil line to assure adequate drainage and avoid tuber rot. Do not water it, as this could trigger new growth prematurely.
In fall when new leaves start to grow, water the soil thoroughly. If you have trouble getting the potting soil to take up water, add a couple drops of hand dish-washing detergent to the water. This will not harm the plant, but will act as a wetting agent. If new growth hasn't occurred by late October you can go ahead and water it. As long as the tubers are still plump and hard, they should be okay. Wait for shoots to appear and the soil to become rather dry - then water thoroughly again.
Propagation:
Cyclamen are commercially propagated from seed: Sow seed on the media surface approximately 1/2 to 213 covered in a media with a pH of 6.0-6.5. Germinate at 65-68°F in a germination chamber maintained at 100% humidity using a mist or fog system in the dark. Seed will germinate in 3-4 weeks.
Flower induction:
Cyclamen initiate flowers in the 6th leaf axil when 10- 13 leaves have unfolded. The plant will continue to produce a flower, then a leaf, then a flower in an alternating fashion for up approx. 3 months. however, the total amount of light delivered daily affects earliness of flowering and development. Optimal light intensity and photoperiod is 500 foot-candles for 16 hrs/day prior to flower initiation. Optimal light intensity after flower initiation is 850-1,000 foot-candles for 16 hrs/day.
Pests and diseases:
Cyclamen can develop thrip, fungus gnat and/or mite infestations. Control is achieved by removing infected plants and controlling thrips. They are susceptible to TSWV/INSV, root rot pathogens, Fusarium wilt, Bacterial wilt (Ewinia spp.) and Botrytis.
BUY YCLAMEN PLANT - SOWBREAD AND RELATED PRODUCTS
SOME SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF CYCLAMEN WITH CARE TIPS:
- Cyclamen africanum - African cyclamen
- Cyclamen alpinum - Alpine cyclamen
- Cyclamen balearicum - Balearic cyclamen
- Cyclamen cilicium - Cicilian Cyclamen
- Cyclamen colchicum
- Cyclamen coum - Eastern sowbread
- Cyclamen creticum - Cretan sowbread
- Cyclamen cyprium - Cyprus cyclamen
- Cyclamen elegans - Cyclamen coum subsp. elegans
- Cyclamen graecum - Greek cyclamen
- Cyclamen hederifolium - Ivy-leaved cyclamen
- Cyclamen intaminatum - Undefiled cyclamen
- Cyclamen libanoticum - Lebanon cyclamen
- Cyclamen mirabile - Sowbread
- Cyclamen parviflorum - Small-flowered cyclamen
- Cyclamen persicum - Persian cyclamen
- Cyclamen pseudibericum - False Iberian cyclamen
- Cyclamen purpurascens - Purple cyclamen
- Cyclamen repandum - Spring sowbread
- Cyclamen rhodium - Peloponnesian cyclamen
- Cyclamen rohlfsianum - Rohlfs's Cyclamen
- Cyclamen somalense - Somalia cyclamen
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