Cyclamen species: variety between bedding and houseplant

In the cold season, the cyclamen cuts a fine figure both in the house and in the bed. But how do the different types differ?

The variety of Cyclamen (Cyclamen) doesn't stop with pink-blooming houseplants on grandma's kitchen window sill. The primrose family (Primulaceae) offer different flowering times in winter / spring or summer / autumn, depending on the species, and are also suitable for the garden. The now numerous varieties offer flowers in all imaginable colors, from white to purple and from orange to red to multi-colored. It's really worth taking a closer look at this charmingly blooming botanical genus.

Cyclamen: Species and Diversity

In total there are around 22 species of cyclamen, which offer a huge variety of flower colors and flowering times. With the right choice, you can admire the butterfly-like flowers almost all year round. However, the diversity also goes hand in hand with very individual demands. Here is a small selection of cyclamen:

Ivy-leaved cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium)

• Also autumn cyclamen, Neapolitan cyclamen
• Flowering period: August to October
• Geographic range: Northern Mediterranean
• Hardy, leaves are retained in winter

Room cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)

• Also Persian cyclamen
• Flowering period: March to April, but also autumn
• Distribution area: Eastern Mediterranean
• Not hardy, leaves pull in in winter

European cyclamen (Cyclamen purpurascens)

• Also summer cyclamen, wild cyclamen, cyclamen, earth slice or earth bread
• Flowering period: June to September
• Distribution area: Southern Alps, Eastern Alps to the Balkans
• Winter hardy, almost simultaneous death and regeneration of the leaves

Early spring cyclamen (Cyclamen coum)

• Flowering period: January to March
• Geographical area: Western Asia
• Hardy, leaves appear in autumn

Curly-leaved cyclamen (Cyclamen repandum)

• Flowering period: March to May
• Distribution area: Southern Europe, Mediterranean area
• Not hardy

Cyclamen as a houseplant: characteristics and claims

The non-winter-hardy species such as the indoor cyclamen are best suited for greening rooms. When cyclamen thrive in your own four walls, you should pay particular attention to the temperature, because the plants do not like too much heat. Here are the conditions under which your cyclamen feels comfortable with you and blooms to its full glory:

• Temperature: 12-15 ° C
• Location: bright, no direct sun
• Soil: Well-drained potting soil
• Pot with a drainage hole

A bright place in a not too heated kitchen or a nice cool staircase or adjoining room are therefore ideal. In the case of unheated rooms, just make sure that the temperatures do not fluctuate too much. A well-drained soil combined with the right pot is essential for your cyclamen to stay healthy for a long time in the pot. The plants are very sensitive to waterlogging and need to be watered skillfully. More about the right one Watering cyclamen is available here to read.

Cyclamen outside in the garden: characteristics and demands

All hardy species are suitable for planting in the garden. When cyclamen have found a nice spot in the garden, they thank you for this with independent propagation through the formation of clumps and flowers that bloom every year in the most beautiful colors. For cyclamen outside in the garden, the following only applies:

• Location: shade to partial shade
• Soil: Soil rich in humus, can with our Plantura Organic potting soil to be improved

Because cyclamen prefer shady locations, they are very suitable for underplanting hedges or to fill gaps between taller perennials. There are planting instructions for the bulbous bloomers here.

Successfully overwintering cyclamen in the garden

Violets that adorn your garden in the tub should move to a sheltered place in winter. In the bed, the plants should be covered with a layer of brushwood to protect them. This protects against the winter sun and thus against drying out.