Scientific/Botanical Name:
Genus: Cyclamen
Specie: C. persicum
Variety/Cultivar:
English Name:
Common Name:
Persian cyclamen, florist's cyclamen
Botanical Family:
Name in Latin: Myrsinaceae
Name in English: Myrsine family
The Plant
Origin: Native to rocky hillsides, shrub land, and woodland up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft.) above sea level from south-central Turkey to Israel and Jordan. It also grows in Algeria and Tunisia and on the Greek islands of Rhodes, Karpathos, and Crete
Growth Habit: perennial growing from a tuber Wild plants have heart-shaped leaves, up to 14 cm (6 in) usually green with lighter marbling on the upper surface. After pollination, the flower stem curls downwards slightly as the pod develops, but does not coil as in other cyclamens. Plants go dormant in summer.
Flower: Flowers bloom from winter to spring (var. persicum) or in autumn (var. autumnale) and have 5 small sepals and 5 upswept petals, usually white to pale pink with a band of deep pink to magenta at the base.
Blooming Period: Flowers bloom from winter to spring
Leaf: peltate
Usage:
ornamental
Care and Handling
Soil: A good general purpose potting soil (a soil that retains water yet drains well) will suffice. Check purchased soil to see that it is well aerated and add sand or perlite and peat moss if it seems to pack too tightly.
Amount of water: Keep the soil evenly moist and if you use rainwater, be careful as it could be acidic. Use warm water.
Nutrition: Feed every two weeks while in growth.
Special handling: plant is poisonous if ingested
Special feature/remarks:
Cyclamen persicum is the parent species of the florists.