Cyclamen belongs to the Primulaceae family. These plants have heart-shaped leaves, often variegated or with silver markings, which adds to their ornamental value. The flowers are distinctive with reflexed petals, giving them a somewhat swept-back look, which is quite unique among flowers.
They come in a variety of colors including white, pink, red, and even some shades of purple. The center of the flower often has a darker blotch or pattern, which can contrast beautifully with the petal color. Cyclamen are grown as houseplants or in shaded garden areas where they can thrive in cooler conditions. They prefer well-draining soil and can go dormant in the summer, which is often misunderstood as the plant dying.
In their natural habitat, cyclamen are pollinated by insects. The reflexed petals and the placement of the flower above the foliage help in attracting pollinators. Depending on the species, they can bloom in late summer, autumn, or winter, with some varieties even blooming into spring. After pollination, cyclamen produce seed pods that, when ripe, can forcefully eject seeds away from the parent plant.
Cyclamen contain saponins, which can be toxic if ingested, particularly the root or tuber. This makes them somewhat hazardous to pets and children if consumed.
In the language of flowers, cyclamen can symbolize love, passion, and even a resigned or farewell love, depending on the cultural context. In some traditions, they are associated with goodbyes or farewells, possibly due to their natural dormancy period.
Cyclamen Flowers
Cyclamen persicum (Florist’s Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Large flowers, often in shades of white, pink, red, or purple.
- Leaves: Heart-shaped, with silver marbling or zoning.
- Notes: This is the most common variety found in florist shops, not hardy in cold climates.
- Origin: Mediterranean region, specifically the Eastern Mediterranean, from Turkey to Palestine.
Cyclamen hederifolium (Ivy-leaved Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Pink or white flowers appearing before or with the leaves in autumn.
- Leaves: Ivy-shaped with beautiful variegation, often silver patterns.
- Notes: One of the hardiest species, can grow in temperate gardens.
- Origin: Southern Europe, including France, Italy, and Greece, extending to Turkey.
Cyclamen coum (Eastern sowbread)
- Origin: Eastern Mediterranean from Greece to the Caucasus.
- Characteristics: Flowers are smaller, in shades of magenta, pink, or white, blooming in winter or early spring.
- Leaves: Round or kidney-shaped, often with silver markings.
- Notes: Hardy and suitable for outdoor planting in many regions.
Cyclamen purpurascens (European Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Flowers are fragrant, ranging from pink to purple.
- Leaves: Evergreen, with or without patterns.
- Notes: Prefers limestone soils and shade.
- Origin: Central and Eastern Europe, from France to Czechoslovakia, and southward to Italy and Slovenia.
Cyclamen repandum (Spring sowbread)
- Origin: Southwestern Europe, from Spain to Italy.
- Characteristics: Spring blooming with twisted petals, colors from light pink to deep carmine.
- Leaves: Heart-shaped with silver marbling.
- Notes: Prefers woodland conditions.
Cyclamen africanum (African cyclamen)
- Origin: North Africa, from Morocco, Tunisia to Algeria.
- Characteristics: It is similar to Cyclamen hederifolium, but not frost-hardy.
- Leaves: Marbled, thick, and somewhat glossy.
- Notes: Less hardy than hederifolium, needs protection from frost.
Cyclamen graecum (Greek cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Delicate flowers with a distinctive auricle at the base of each petal.
- Leaves: Often beautifully patterned with intricate silver veins or zones.
- Notes: Prefers a warm, sheltered spot; not very frost hardy.
- Origin: Greece, particularly the Peloponnese and Crete.
Cyclamen cilicium (Cilicium Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Slender, often twisted petals, typically pale to deep pink with a darker nose.
- Leaves: Smaller, with silver markings or zones.
- Notes: A good species for rock gardens.
- Origin: Southern Turkey, particularly the Cilician region.
Cyclamen mirabile (Tufted Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Flowers are pink with a darker base, petals can have a ‘toothed’ appearance.
- Leaves: Young leaves can have a red tint on the underside, with silver patterns.
- Notes: Requires good drainage, somewhat rare.
- Origin: Native to Turkish pine woodland and maquis in southwestern Turkey.
Cyclamen libanoticum (Lebanon cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Large, fragrant flowers, often pale pink with a deeper pink base.
- Leaves: Large, with less pronounced patterning compared to others.
- Notes: Prefers alkaline soils, quite rare in cultivation.
- Origin: Native to the mountains of Lebanon northeast of Beirut, in and around Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve.
Cyclamen pseudibericum (False Iberian cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Vivid magenta flowers with dark blotches at the base of each petal.
- Leaves: Large, often with a hastate (arrowhead-shaped) pattern.
- Notes: Not as commonly cultivated but prized for its striking flowers.
- Origin: Native to the Amanus or Nur and Anti-Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey, Armenia and Georgia.
Cyclamen rohlfsianum (Libyan Sowbread)
- Characteristics: Bright pink flowers with a pronounced veining, blooms in autumn.
- Leaves: Broad, with silver markings, can be quite large.
- Notes: Needs protection from frost; more challenging to grow.
- Origin: Libya and possibly Tunisia.
Cyclamen colchicum (Albov Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Similar to C. coum but with thicker leaves and less pronounced markings with less fragrance.
- Notes: Very localized in the wild, not often seen in cultivation.
- Origin: Caucasus region, specifically Georgia and Turkey.
Cyclamen alpinum (Cyclamen trochopteranthum)
- Characteristics: Flowers have a propeller-like appearance, pale pink to carmine.
- Leaves: Almost round, with subtle silver patterns.
- Notes: Prefers cooler, shaded areas.
- Origin: Southern Alps in Italy.
Cyclamen parviflorum (Small-flowered cyclamen)
- Characteristics: One of the smallest cyclamens, with tiny pink or white flowers.
- Leaves: Small, green without much patterning.
- Notes: Alpine species, needs very well-drained soil.
- Origin: Southern Turkey and Syria.
Cyclamen creticum (Cretan sowbread)
- Characteristics: White to pale pink flowers with a sweet fragrance. It is closely related to Cyclamen repandum.
- Leaves: Heart-shaped with varied marbling.
- Notes: Prefers Mediterranean climates.
- Origin: Crete, Greece.
Cyclamen intaminatum (Intaminatum Cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Small white or light pink flowers, less showy.
- Leaves: Small, often with clear silver zones.
- Notes: Suitable for rock gardens, quite hardy.
- Origin: Western Turkey.
Cyclamen elegans (formerly C. coum subsp. elegans)
- Characteristics: More elegant, slender flowers compared to C. coum, often lighter in color.
- Leaves: Similar to C. coum but can be less patterned.
- Origin: Native to the Alborz Mountains in northern Iran and southeastern Azerbaijan.
Cyclamen balearicum (Majorca or Balearic cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Delicate white or very pale pink flowers, with a slight fragrance.
- Leaves: Smaller, with silver patterning.
- Notes: Native to the Balearic Islands, prefers mild winters.
- Origin: In the Balearic Islands and in isolated locations in France from the Pyrenees to the Rhone valley.
Cyclamen somalense (Somalian cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Known for its rarity, with pink flowers.
- Leaves: Information on leaf characteristics might be less documented due to its rarity.
- Notes: This species is not well-known in cultivation.
- Origin: It is endemic to Somalia, where it is significantly isolated from other Cyclamen species
Cyclamen maritimum (Sea cyclamen)
- Characteristics: Pink flowers, sometimes with darker markings at the base.
- Leaves: Broad, with silver variegation, though less pronounced than other species.
- Notes: From regions near the Mediterranean, not widely cultivated.
- Origin: It is a tuberous geophyte native to Greece’s east Aegean Islands, southwestern and southern Turkey, and northern Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.