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Family description Cyclamen.

Cyclamen are probably best known as pot plants for indoors, but the warmer winters are tempting the brave to plant these florists cyclamen out as winter bedding in the window boxes. Sudden cold snaps will bring these displays to a premature end but if you have a sheltered situation, it may be worth the risk. There are a number of hardy species that will naturalize in the garden. These tend to have much smaller flowers but make up for it with numbers. C. coum flowers from December to March with white or pink flowers 50mm -120mm high. C. neapolitanum flowers in the autumn, again with pink or white blooms that first appear before the attractive ivy-shaped foliage. height 100mm - 150mm.

General care.

When planting cyclamen tubers, it is vital to get them the right way up, and this is not always easy. Most have a smooth round bottom, (jokes deleted), with a dish-shaped depression on the top. In addition, the top often has small knobbly bits where the flowers grow from. If you have any doubt, ask at the Garden Centre, or keep them warm and moist until shoots appear. The tubers must be planted, right way up, with the tops just level or slightly below the soil surface. Due to the nature of the tubers growing at the soil surface, care is required when carrying out routine activities such as weeding. Hoes and cultivators will destroy the tubers before they have a chance to show themselves, and this is one of their biggest causes of failure. In recent years, large numbers have been raided from the wild for sale in markets, and you should ensure that any tubers offered for sale have been grown from sustainable sources.

Notes on Toxicity or Culinary usage.

No toxic, culinary or medicinal properties known.

Sales

Items for sale listed below.

Species description. Cyclamen hederifolium.

A hardy Cyclamen with roundish leaves marbled with white markings. Grows well in shady places providing the soil is free draining.

Display characteristics for Cyclamen hederifolium.

• Plant type: Dicotyledon. Deciduous
• Habit:
• Type: Corm.
• Height: 0.10 mtr.
• Spread: 0.15 mtr.
• Attractive to wildlife: None
• Preferred soil type: Clay. Gravel. Loam. Sand. Silt.
• Soil moisture requirement: Medium
• Soil ph: Undefined
• Suitable position: Border. Container. Basket. Rockery.
• Light requirements: Part sun. Shade.
• Summer water requirements: None
• Winter water requirements: None
• Minimum temperature: -8 °c
• Safe Minimum temperature: -4 °c
• Safe Maximum temperature: 30 °c
• Maximum temperature: 0 °c
• Wind tolerance: Medium
• Salt tolerance: None
• Drought tolerance: Medium
• Waterlogging tolerance: Low
• Toxicity-Edibility: Moderate illness possible
• Bloom attributes: Showy display.
• Foliage attributes: Showy display.
• Berry attributes: Undefined
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