The Value of Cyclamens

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

frilly pink flowering Cyclamen

Introduction

A native to the Mediterranean basin its name is derived from the Greek - “Kyklos” – meaning round – and referring to its tuber. They are valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves.Romans used to call it “tūber terrae” - "earth truffle" or amulētum - "amulet", because it was believed that evil spells had no effect where it grew ! We need to grow some here!

Tubers

 These can be spherical, or flattened – and produce roots from the top, sides or bottom, depending on the species. Older tubers can reach 9.5” – most are about 1” across.

tuber

Cyclamen species tubers are eaten by the caterpillars of the gothic moth.  But not to worry – these are only endemic to Europe. 

Duponchelia fovealis.

Leaves

 Leaves, flowers and roots grow from the main tuber. In most species leaves come up in autumn, grow through the winter and then die in spring. It goes dormant through the hot and dry summer.Leaves sprout from on top of the tuber - each from its own stem. The leaves can be shaped like ivy, with angles and lobes, with round leaves, or heart-shaped with a pointed tip. Most leaves are variegated in several shades of green and silver. 

typical leaf with silver variation

Flowers

 Flowers have 5 petals, bent outwards or up, sometimes twisted, and connected at the base into a cup, and five sepals behind the cup. Petal color may be white, pink or purple, often with darker color on the nose. 

typical wild flower

Seeds

 The floral stem coils or bends when the fruit begins to form. This creates a round pod which contains numerous sticky brown seeds. Natural seed dispersal is by ants ! – which is called myrmecochory. Usually the ants eat the sticky covering - and then discard the seeds. 

funky seed pod

Roots

 Cyclamen's roots pack a toxic punch. The plant contains compounds that, if ingested, can lead to serious health issues. Saponins, the primary culprits, are known to disrupt cell membranes. Keep away from children and pets !!!!! 

Folklore

 Cyclamens were used as love-charms, aphrodisiacs, and intoxicants. A small amount would be put in cakes or a cup of wine.In the sixteenth century, women in their early stages of pregnancy avoided cyclamens in fear of a miscarriage because they were considered to strongly induce childbirth. 

Cyclamen persicum - Florists’ cyclamen

florist Cyclamen group

 This species is the one commonly sold by florists - and which you are most familiar with. It is frost-tender. The cultivars are available with white, bright pink, red or purple flowers – and all sorts of combinations therein !Plants in bloom should be kept below 68 °F with the night-time temperatures preferably closer to 55*F. Anything over 68 °F will induce the plant to become dormant. 

Other Species  - they all look quite similar to each other !

Cyclamen hederifolium

Cyclamen purpurascens

Cyclamen repandum

Cyclamen balearicum

Cyclamen graecum

Cyclamen pseudibericum

Cyclamen coum

Our Indoor Team can get you beautiful Cyclamens for your Home !

Call us to choose a color !

PLANT SPECIALISTSGREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

   Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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