Cyclamen hederifolium |
Native Region: Europe (France to Greece)
Zone Range: 5-9
Preferred Climate: Shady to open woodland; evenly moist humus rich soil.
Harvest Date: Monday 13 September, 2010
Seed count: 15-20
Description:
The plant becomes dormant during summer, but in September, medium pink shuttlecock shaped flowers appear. Darker pink blotch at petal base. Flowers are followed by gorgeous ivy-like leaves marked with a silver-green pattern. Makes a nice clump of beautiful patterned foliage to 15 cm in height. Plants form a corm that gets larger over time creating an ever larger plant. Reliably hardy for almost any garden.
Notes:
Blooms in its third year from seed. A single seedling leaf will emerge in mid to late September, which is the same time leaves normally appear on this species to overwinter. Deer and bunnies ignore these plants. Can self sow...slowly spreading the love!
Cultivation:
Break dormancy: soak seed at room temperature for 24-48 hours (seed should swell). Sow 5 mm deep, tamp medium firm. Add some fine mulch. Keep moist. Seed needs darkness to germinate. Optimum germination temperature: 20 C. Days to germinate: 20-90.
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