European cyclamen

European cyclamen: how do you recognise it?

Tuber

Flat, round tuber that grows larger over the years and develops several growing points.

Leaves

Round to heart-shaped, 3–8 cm, dark green often patterned in silver, purplish-red beneath; almost evergreen.

Flowers

Small, 1.5–2 cm, with five upswept petals, carmine-pink to purplish-pink, from July to September.

Scent

Strong and sweet; best noticed on warm days when you come close.

Seed

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

Flowering: July–September · Plants: April–May and September

Why grow it?

• One of the few tuberous plants that flower in summer in the shade.
• Strongly and sweetly scented flowers from July to September.
• Almost evergreen leaves patterned in silver: attractive all year.
• Stays low and in time forms a carpet under shrubs and trees.
• Bees visit the flowers.

European cyclamen: where does it grow best?

• Partial shade to shade, for example under deciduous shrubs or trees; no harsh midday sun.
• Humus-rich, well-drained loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Moist: do not let it dry out in summer, but avoid waterlogging.
• A sheltered spot where the leaves can lie in autumn as a natural mulch.
• Plant 15–20 cm apart, in small groups.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.12 m tall, 0.15 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: A green backdrop in the same shade and humus-rich soil.
• Liverleaf: Blue spring flowers on chalky soil in the shade.
• Lenten rose: Flowers in late winter and spring, when the cyclamen only has leaves.
• Snowdrop: Early in the year, under the same deciduous shrubs.
• Barrenwort: A graceful ground cover for shade.

European cyclamen: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Plant in April–May or September, preferably pot-grown plants already in leaf: dry tubers establish poorly.
2. Loosen the soil and mix in a few spadefuls of leaf mould.
3. Set a pot-grown plant at the same depth as it was in its pot; plant a loose tuber with the growing points upwards, under 2–5 cm of soil.
4. Keep 15–20 cm between plants.
5. Water and spread a thin layer of leaf mould over the spot.

Care

Watering

Regularly after planting; after that only during long dry spells in summer.

Feeding

Not needed. A thin layer of leaf mould in autumn or spring is enough.

Mulching

Leave fallen leaves in place or add leaf mould: this keeps the soil cool and rich in humus.

Leaves

Remove only withered or yellow leaves; leave healthy foliage in place.

Leave undisturbed

Do not hoe or dig around the tubers; mark the spot so you do not damage them.

Tip: Buy pot-grown plants already in leaf, ideally in flower, rather than dry tubers: they establish far better. Plant them in humus-rich, chalky soil in light shade.

European cyclamen: when to prune it?

When: No pruning is needed. Just remove withered leaves and faded flowers now and then.

How:

• Gently twist off withered leaves and flower stalks.
• Leave stalks with seed capsules if you want it to self-seed.
• Always leave healthy leaves: they feed the tuber.

Caution: Do not dig or hoe around the tubers: they lie just below the surface.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow fresh seed as soon as the capsules split, lightly covered, in a pot of gritty seed compost in a cool, shady place. Seedlings flower after two to three years.

Self-seeding

Ants carry off the sticky seed, so seedlings appear around the plant after a few years. Move them while still small, with a little soil around the roots.

European cyclamen: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: in Belgium it overwinters outdoors without problems.
• The almost evergreen leaves usually stay; hard frost can damage them, but new leaves grow in spring.
• A layer of leaf mould or fallen leaves protects the tubers in severe winters.
• In a pot: stand it in a sheltered spot against a wall or in a cold greenhouse, as pots freeze more quickly.

Diseases and pests

• Vine weevil: Especially in pots the grubs eat into the tubers; the plant suddenly wilts. Use nematodes or repot and remove the grubs.
• Slugs: They eat leaves and flowers. Pick them off in the evening.
• Tuber rot: In wet soil the tuber rots. Make sure the soil is humus-rich and well drained.
• Grey mould: Grey fluff on leaves and flower stalks in warm, damp weather. Remove affected parts and improve air flow.
• Mice and squirrels: They sometimes dig up the tubers. Protect the spot with wire mesh.

Through the year

• March: Remove withered leaves. New leaves grow.
• April: Plant pot-grown plants.
• May: Plant. Watch for slugs.
• June: Water during long dry spells.
• July: Flowering and scent begin.
• August: Full flower. Water in dry weather.
• September: Last flowers. Plant. Sow fresh seed straight away.
• October: A thin layer of leaf mould or fallen leaves over the spot.
• November: Leave fallen leaves as a mulch.
• December: Rest; the leaves usually stay green.

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 spiral spring and pulls the seed capsule right down to the ground.
• The seed has a sweet, sticky coating; ants carry it away and so spread the plant.
• It is a wild relative of the florist’s cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), which is not hardy.