Ivy-leaved cyclamen

Ivy-leaved cyclamen: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, 10–12 cm tall, with a clump of leaves about 20 cm wide around a single tuber.

Leaves

Ivy- to heart-shaped, with silvery grey markings; from autumn into spring.

Flower

Pink to white, with a dark blotch at the base and swept-back petals, from August to October.

Tuber

Flat and round, with roots on the top and sides; becomes very large over the years.

Fruit

After flowering the flower stalk coils up like a spring and pulls the seed capsule down to the ground.

Flowering: August–October · Plants: July–September

Why grow it?

• Flowers in late summer and autumn, when few bulbs are still in bloom.
• The marbled leaves decorate the ground from autumn into spring.
• Grows in dry shade under trees, where little else will.
• Self-seeds into a ground-covering carpet.
• Bees visit the late flowers.

Ivy-leaved cyclamen: where does it grow best?

• Partial to full shade, under trees and shrubs.
• Well-drained, humus-rich soil: sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Dry to moist; in wet soil the tuber rots. Dry summers are no problem.
• Plant 15–20 cm apart; it copes well with tree roots.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.12 m tall, 0.2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Snowdrop: Flowers in February among the marbled leaves.
• Spring cyclamen: Flowers in late winter in the same spot, adding to the autumn display.
• Lenten rose: Large dark leaves and winter flowers, also under trees.
• Barrenwort: Tolerates the same dry shade and fills the space in summer.

Ivy-leaved cyclamen: when and how to plant it?

Plant in July–September.

1. Plant in July, August or September, preferably pot-grown plants or tubers that have not dried out.
2. Loosen the soil and mix in leaf mould and some coarse sand.
3. Set the tuber shallowly, hollow side up, so that it is covered by 2–3 cm of soil.
4. Space the tubers 15–20 cm apart.
5. Water and scatter a thin layer of leaf mould over the spot.

Care

Water

After planting, water in dry spells; after that only during long autumn droughts. Not needed during summer dormancy.

Feeding

Not needed. Scatter a thin layer of leaf mould every year in summer, once the leaves have gone.

Leaves

Let the leaves die back naturally in spring.

Self-seeding

Let the seed capsules ripen: this is how the carpet grows every year.

Moving

Avoid moving older tubers; leave them where they are.

Tip: Plant it under a tree where grass will not grow: it feels at home in dry shade and self-seeds into a carpet.

Ivy-leaved cyclamen: when to prune it?

When: Ivy-leaved cyclamen is not pruned.

How:

• Leave the spent flowers: the coiled stalks carry the seeds.
• In spring, let the leaves yellow and only remove them once they have withered.
• A thin layer of fallen tree leaves can stay, but remove a thick layer so the foliage gets light.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow fresh seed in July–August in a pot of seed compost with some grit, and cover it lightly. Soak bought, dried seed for a day first. Seedlings flower after two to three years.

Moving seedlings

Lift young seedlings around the parent plant while they are in leaf and replant them elsewhere straight away. The tuber itself cannot be divided.

Ivy-leaved cyclamen: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: in Belgium no protection is needed.
• The leaves stay green in winter; in hard frost they go limp, but they recover.
• In a pot: keep the pot sheltered from rain, for example under a roof overhang, because wet, frozen compost makes the tuber rot.

Diseases and pests

• Vine weevil: The grubs eat the tuber, especially in pots, and the plant suddenly wilts. Use nematodes against the grubs in late summer.
• Tuber rot: In wet soil the tuber rots. Plant in well-drained soil and not too deep.
• Mice and squirrels: Dig up the tubers or gnaw them. Lay a piece of wire mesh over the spot after planting.
• Fails to grow: Tubers that have been dry for too long often fail. Buy pot-grown plants instead.

Through the year

• January: The marbled leaves decorate the ground.
• March: Leaves still attractive. Remove thick layers of fallen leaves.
• May: Leaves turn yellow; the tuber goes dormant.
• June: Dormant. Seed ripens. Scatter a thin layer of leaf mould.
• July: Plant. Sow fresh seed.
• August: First flowers. Plant.
• September: Full flower. Last chance to plant.
• October: Flowering; the new leaves appear.
• November: The leaves decorate the ground until spring.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of cyclamen are poisonous, especially the tuber: it contains saponins, which cause vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhoea, in children as well as in dogs and cats. If a dog or cat eats a larger piece of tuber, an irregular heartbeat and seizures can follow: call your vet at once. The flat tubers sit shallowly in the soil and grow larger over the years: watch out for dogs that dig, and keep loose tubers out of reach of children and pets. Wash your hands after handling the tubers. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• After flowering, the flower stalk coils up like a spring and pulls the seed capsule right down to the ground.
• The seeds are sticky and sweet; ants carry them off and so start new plants further away.
• A tuber can live for a very long time and grows over the years to the size of a saucer.