Cyclamens are part of the primrose family. The genus Cyclamen includes around 20 species of these Mediterranean natives. Cyclamen are available for indoor and outdoor locations. Indoor plants are usually available around the winter holidays from Christmas to Valentine's Day. Outdoor cyclamen will return to flower year after year for decades, but can sometimes take up to a year to flower and a decade to produce their best display.
Florist's Cyclamen
Florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicumis) is a tender plant, best used as an indoor plant or in areas where frost is not an issue. As a houseplant, this cyclamen flowers during the winter. The plants are typically 6 to 16 inches tall with a mounded habit. The heart-shaped or elliptical leaves are variegated. Their coloring is green with grey to silver mottling.
The waxy flowers appear atop stalks several inches above the foliage and have an appearance similar to an orchid. Single, double, fringed, crested and frilled flower forms are available in colors ranging from white to pink, rose, red or purple. The flowers last approximately six weeks.
Miniature Cyclamen
Miniature cyclamen are only 4 to 6 inches tall, while micro cyclamen plants are even smaller, at 3 to 4 inches tall. The miniature versions of cyclamen have several benefits. According to the University of Vermont Extension, they show greater heat tolerance, tend to bloom for a longer period and sometimes offer fragrance along with their beauty.
Hardy Cyclamen
Hardy cyclamen grow outdoors in zones 4 to 9. C. hederifolium flowers in late summer, while C. coum flowers in spring. The 4- to 6-inch-tall plants have a delicate appearance. The appearance of the inch-long flowers is likened to that of a butterfly because the flower petals flare backwards, away from their centers. Each one of the heart-shaped leaves is unique in color combination.
New Cyclamen Cultivars
The 'Super Series Compact Wine Red Cyclamen' is a cultivar that offers long-lasting profuse blooms and flowers that won't fade, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. This compact cultivar won a Gold Star from the FloraStar organization. The series includes 15 flower color options.
Selection
The flowering plants grow from tubers. Cyclamen can be raised from seed, but the process takes two years. Choose a plant that has straight stems and plentiful buds, but only a few open flowers. Check for the presence of insect pests or disease before purchase, and protect your plants from cold drafts during transport.
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