The last winter bloom of cyclamen
At a time of the year when flowers can be hard to come by, cyclamen gift us rewarding winter colour as the cold spurs them to bloom. For some indoor colour, they can even be kept in a well-lit position.
Growers may have had varying success in the past with cyclamen care and it is not unusual for gardeners to treat them as an annual, purchasing a new plant each autumn, which should produce months of colour throughout the cooler weather.
In my experience, if cyclamen are enjoyed indoors, it seems they are harder to bring back the following year, but even as an annual, they are great value and give you many months of flower power.
New breeding has improved performance, flower colour and disease resistance. New varieties are much easier to grow, so now is the time to look at the very best way to keep your cyclamen thriving.
Purchase plants that are healthy and vigorous. A well-grown cyclamen should have strong leaf structure and, as a guide, can be held upside down with their leaves supporting their weight without collapsing.
Cyclamen enjoy bright but shaded light. A few hours of winter sun when temperatures are under 22 degrees helps keep them strong. Heavy shade or shade from solid roofs mean they become weak, so finding the right position is paramount.
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Cyclamen prefer to dry out slightly between waterings. Wait until the topsoil dries slightly before rewetting thoroughly. They tend to use more water in the growth and flowering phase and less in their dormant times in summer.
If the pots are sitting in a saucer, ensure the saucer remains dry; cyclamen will suffer with over wet soils or “wet feet” so choose a pot with excellent drainage.
I find that slow-release fertiliser is perfectly fine for cyclamen and is an easy way to see bountiful flowers. Choose a well-known brand suitable for flowers and foliage with a four-to-five-month formula and this should see you right through the flowering season. Liquid fertilisers are the preferred method, and regular fortnightly treatments will give the best results.
As the leaves and flowers naturally die, remove them directly from the corm. When the flower or leaf begins to wither, immediately remove them with a sharp tug and this should remove the entire stem from the corm. Leaving old flowers or leaves will encourage fungal diseases such as botrytis, so a clean plant is a healthy one.
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Cyclamen are generally pest-free, but look out for the occasional aphid; wrinkly or distorted leaves could be a sign of the microscopic cyclamen mite, identification best done at your local garden centre.
By mid-to-late spring, cyclamen will have exhausted most of their blooms and it is time for them to be prepared for summer rest. Now is the time to apply a good slow-release fertiliser and find a well-shaded spot away from direct summer sun.
Newer varieties will generally not die down as older varieties did and will retain their leaves throughout summer, waiting for the cooler weather in autumn to restart their flowering cycle.
Cyclamen are winter and spring favourites all around the world and breeders are ever perfecting the habit, hardiness and range of colours available. Traditionally sold at Mother’s Day, cyclamen come in every shade of pink, red, white and purple, but it is the “flame colours”, in my opinion, that stand out the most.
Cyclamen Elite Fusion is a standout colour for Mother’s Day. Bright pink fringed flowers overlaying a creamy white, it’s a strong grower and will flower for many months.
The new release Cyclamen Elite Illusia won gold medals at the European and Japanese plant trials in 2024, awarded plant of the trials. A unique cyclamen flower, with a very open habit, a smooth clear pink with darker centre, it is unlike any other cyclamen on the market.
Another new release and standout performer is Cyclamen Blue Dragon. The first blue cyclamen on the market, the miniature flowers range from a deep blue through to purple and is the first of its kind on the market.
Cyclamen are a rewarding plant, producing hundreds of blooms a season. With new breeding techniques, plants are easier to enjoy than ever before. They are readily available at your local independent garden centre in a vast range of colours. Look for the blue pots to ensure you are buying South Australian grown and enjoy plenty of colour on your patio table all winter.
This article first appeared in the Winter 2025 issue of SALIFE Gardens & Outdoor Living magazine.
