READY FOR A YEAR-ROUND EXPLOSION OF COLOUR?
Cyclamen is hardy enough to brighten gardens throughout most of the winter
I’ll never forget the brilliance of beech trees, with their greyish white bark, skirted by thousands of pink cyclamen blossoms in many established English gardens I have visited. The use of stunning, cold-hardy cyclamen (also known as alpine or European cyclamen) as ground cover around and under deciduous trees and shrubs is seldom seen in our West Coast gardens.
There are about 18 species of cyclamen that originate from many parts of the world, including Central Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caucasus region, extending into parts of the Middle East. The majority of these species are found in semi-shaded woodlands or on north- or east-facing slopes. Their most unique feature is their various flowering times that can provide colour almost year-round. Many have beautiful evergreen foliage, while others act herbaceously and lose their leaves for part of the year.
All the species can be divided into four categories based on their winter hardiness. Cyclamen hederifolium (ivy leafed cyclamen) and C. purpurascens (purple cyclamen) are two varieties that are hardy to zones 5 and 6. Because they prefer to be companion plants with deciduous trees or shrubs, some beautiful combinations can be created with plants like Chinese witch hazels (hamamelis), contorted filberts (Corylus “Contorta”) and shrub dogwoods with their richly coloured stems. I’ve also seen some lovely displays on Salt Spring Island of rhododendrons underplanted with cyclamen. They can also be quite at home with larger woody perennials like lavender and cistus.
All cyclamen need well-draining soil and humus-rich areas. Depending on the variety, they will grow at various depths. The hardy varieties are most comfortable in shallow soils with their tubers just under the surface. Young cyclamen plants seem quite delicate, but as a rule they have good vigour and, once established, will spread quite quickly.
The most well-known varieties in our area are Cyclamen coum (flowers February into April) and C. hederifolium (blooms late August through September). Their foliage is usually a deep green with some silver markings and their flowers vary from the softest pink to the darkest crimson. These two varieties are best planted under woody shrubs in a semi-shaded area. With a little creativity, you can create some stunning combinations and in the right location they will extend and naturalize each year for an ever-increasing show.
The later-flowering C. hederifoliums are, perhaps, the hardiest cyclamen for our gardens. Their foliage is semi-evergreen, providing long, almost year-round ground cover. Their beautiful silver leaves make a wonderful display for most of the year, except for the hot summer months.
Unless you live in an area with colder winter wind exposure, these cyclamen can be planted at this time of year. Remember to choose their happy place — a semi-shaded location with well-draining soil — and to companion plant them under deciduous shrubs. Planted about 12 inches apart, within a few years they will create a solid carpet. Be careful not to cultivate around them because their roots can be easily damaged. To extend their blooming time, alternate coum varieties with the hederifoliums. If we get an exceptionally cold spell, simply place some white N-sulate cloth on top for a little extra protection and to keep the leaves looking attractive. Even small-space gardens make an ideal home for these amazing plants. Although they can be a little hard to find, several local growers produce them, generally in four-inch pots.
The “florist” cyclamen (C. persicum or Persian cyclamen) that we see at this time of year need to be treated a little differently than their hardier cousins. Most are started from seed and it takes about eight months to produce a small- to medium-sized plant. Also, don’t confuse miniature varieties with the hardier species. In a protected zone 7 or 8 location, “florist” cyclamen will often survive a mild winter.
I love to use these cyclamen in outdoor winter planters and window boxes because their vibrant red, pink, white and burgundy flowers contrast so brilliantly with their green and silver foliage. They will tolerate only light frosts. I’ve seen the flowers bent over and looking like goners, but when the sun came out they bounced right back. Companion planted with pastel winter pansies, violas and smaller evergreen grasses, like the hot lime-coloured Carex “Everillo” or yellow-striped green Carex “Evergold,” they look stunning.
In Europe, larger flowering, potted cyclamen grace the windows of many homes and they last for months. We forget, however, that many European homes have central heating with cool windows — a situation cyclamen love. To optimize your enjoyment of cyclamen indoors, you simply need to find the coolest east or north window in your home and keep them just moist, as well as misting the foliage regularly with water. Closing any heat vent near the window will help, too. Indoor cyclamen are some of the most elegant and beautiful fall- and winter-flowering plants to brighten your home, particularly if you can keep them cool.
Don’t forget that these cyclamen, although less hardy, are in fact perennial bulbs and when placed outside or even planted in a shady location, they provide lovely foliage all summer while developing a new set of flowers to bloom indoors in the fall.