Cyclamen

Updated : September 2014

The little beauties that I planted last year, finally got choked out by the mums.  This is fine, as the goal was to have a self-managed bed and I now have one.  When I saw more of the little cuties at our neighborhood nursery, I seized the opportunity to pop some color into my raised bed in the backyard for the winter.

We chose 4 white and 4 pink varieties and they did exactly as I had hoped!  So bright!  I know that they may not survive, as they often are listed as needing indirect sun.  I sure hope they thrive, because they are adorable!  I love the contrast on the white and green leaves and the flowers are so pretty.

Original Post:  October 2013

As much as I adore this plant, I wasn’t going to mention it because I thought it hadn’t survived.

But, it surprised me.

 We planted 4 little Cyclamen plants in February, to spruce up the front beds before our daughter’s first birthday.  I planted them between a few Mums in a narrow bed between the bouse and the walkway.  They grew heartily for about a month.

By March and April, the heat was taking a toll on them and they were shrinking back a little.  However, they still continued to produce new flowers well into April.  Reluctantly, I removed one or two plants as the mums took over.

In October, the temperatures finally started dropping again, and the rain started falling again.  It had been a dry, hot year and I will admit… I don’t water my front beds.  I neglect them.  Prune them, yes.  Weed them, yes.  Water them, NO.

And as the rain began to fall, the mums began to spread and bloom again.  And as I weeded out dead mum buds, I discovered that there is still a Cyclamen, and it appears to be spreading.  What a surprise.  It is tucked under a bush and still very small – hardly noticeable – but I think it might survive.

The photo that I am showing was taken at the Houston Zoo.  I recall being highly excited to see them there, as it gave me hope that they may be perennials in my area.  It appears, they may be.

Cyclamen are Tender Perennials, growing 6-12 inches tall and 9-12 inches wide.  They prefer light shade and require moist soil.  They bloom repeatedly and are hardy in zones 10 & 11.