Friday, December 29, 2017

Solving the Mystery of Cyclamen Care


I will be honest– despite their reputation as easy-care houseplants, Cyclamen confound me. They seem to wilt the second they get too dry, and when I try to compensate for my neglect by overwatering them, their ungrateful leaves turn yellow.

I have to concede that cyclamen have lots of great pluses. The flowers float like butterflies over their deep green foliage. Even the heart-shaped leaves, with their silvery-green markings, are beautiful.

I'd like to do better by my cyclamen. It's not just a gardener's pride on the line. They're cheerful houseplants to have around in the dead of winter. They don't mind bright, indirect light and that makes them the perfect choice for my kitchen windowsill.

So I used this post as an excuse to learn a bit more about cyclamen care and will share some of the tips I've discovered along the way.



Cyclamen that are sold as houseplants at this time of year are often referred to as "florist's cyclamen".

In their Mediterranean homeland, Cyclamen persicum are a winter flowering plant. They come into growth in the autumn and bloom through the winter and early spring. Then they go dormant as the dry summer months approach.


Here are a few basics:

Light: Cyclamen like bright, indirect sunlight.

Temperature: Too much sunlight and heat will only serve to encourage your cyclamen into early dormancy. They prefer cool conditions, but they are not frost-hardy. An indoor daytime temperature of 65-70 degrees (18-22 Celsius) is perfect. Most homes are a little cooler at night and that's their preference too.

Water: Watering is where most people, myself included, go wrong. As I have discovered the hard way, cyclamen are very sensitive to soil moisture levels. When you do water, soak the soil thoroughly and let the excess water drain out of the pot. Then allow your cyclamen to dry out somewhat. More cyclamen die from overwatering than they do from drought. Water only when the soil just below the surface is dry to the touch.

One way to improve your success with cyclamen is to water from the bottom. That way you are assured that the moisture will reach right down to the bottom of the plant's roots. To water from the bottom, find a deep saucer or a container large enough to accommodate your cyclamen's pot and fill it halfway with water. Place your cyclamen into the container of water and wait until the soil in the cyclamen's pot is evenly moist (about 20 minutes).

If you opt to water from above, water the soil directly and avoid the foliage and central tuber. Water can rot the crown of the plant (particularly when the plant is in a dormant state).

However you choose to water, make sure you allow excess water to drain away completely. Like so many plants, cyclamen don't like soggy soil.

Dead leaves or flowers can be removed by simply giving them a sharp tug.

Humidity: Cyclamen like high humidity. If your house is as dry as mine, this can be a challenge. Setting the plant down on a shallow tray of water filled with pebbles can help keep the air around your plant moist.

Soil: A good quality all-purpose potting mix is best. If you peek through the leaves, you can see that cyclamen are planted with the tuber just slightly above the soil line.

Fertilizer: Fertilizing once a month with a water-soluble fertilizer is plenty. Too much fertilizer and your cyclamen will not rebloom.



Common problems:

Yellow leaves: Overwatering and too much heat will cause the leaves of your cyclamen to yellow. Yellow foliage in late winter/spring may also be a sign that your cyclamen is going into dormancy.

Wilted leaves and flowers: Wilted flowers and foliage are a sign of improper watering. The sudden onset of wilting may be an indication that the soil is too dry. Water your plant thoroughly and pinch off any leaves or flowers that do not respond.

Faded Foliage: Cyclamen are pretty resistant to indoor houseplant pests, but foliage that looks faded may be a sign of a spider mite problem. Look for fine webbing and check the undersides of the leaves for these tiny insects. If your cyclamen is infected, check your other houseplants as well. Spider mites often spread from one houseplant to another.

Depending on the severity of the infection, I'd consider disposing of the plant.

If you've caught things early, gently rinse or wipe the foliage clean. Isolate the cyclamen from other houseplants until you have the infestation under control.


Dormancy: After a cyclamen blooms, it will transition slowly into a dormant state. The leaves will begin to yellow and wither. At this point, you should stop watering your plant, and allow the leaves to die back. Then place your cyclamen in a cool, dry place for 8-10 weeks.

To bring a rested plant out of dormancy in the fall, move it back into the light and resume your normal watering regime.


I think what I need to do now is focus on getting my watering right.  How about you? What's your experience with cyclamen? If you have any great tips, please share!

21 comments:

  1. Good and interesting article about the Cyclamen. As a houseplant they are real nuisances, the hardy ones in the garden are much easier to grow, I love them most.
    Wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy 2018 with the dogs.

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    1. Happy and healthy 2018 to you too Janneke. I am relieved to hear I am not the only one who has struggled to grow indoor cyclamen! I wish the outdoor type were hardy here. I have always thought they’d be nice to grow.

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  2. Very interested in your post as I have been determined to give Cyclamen a try. I will start off with the outdoor Cyclamen coum. Have a healthy and happy 2018.

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    1. You have such a green thumb Alastair that I am sure you’ll be ver successful with outdoor cyclamen. All the best to you and your family for 2018!

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  3. I agree that Cyclamen are not as easy to grow indoors, as they require the higher humidity. The longest I ever got one to live was for a couple of years. During each dormant period, the plant would seem to get smaller and weaker, but the blooms were enjoyable. I did grow the outdoor variety of Cyclamen and they were about as maintenance free as you can get. I did nothing and they just kept returning year after year. Maybe I'll give the indoor variety another try with your helpful tips! Have a Happy New Year!

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    1. It’s funny that indoor cyclamen have a reputation for being easy to grow. I think many of us have struggled with them. Thanks for sharing the fact that the outdoor type are so much easier. All the best to you too Lee for the new year!

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    2. Jennifer, I think this may be one of those plants that got its reputation as an "easy" houseplant back before central heating and air conditioning were as ubiquitous as they are today in the States; when my mom was filling her apartment with houseplants in 1965, finding a windowsill that never got above 65F in the winter was a cinch, finding one that *did* would be harder. Plus, without central heating, you didn't get regular sustained drafts of hot dry air right next to your windows!

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    3. Modern forced air heating does make growing cyclamen more of a challenge.

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  4. I have killed so many Cyclamen. Thank you for tips! I hope to turn my reputation around.

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  5. I used to have fairly good results with my cyclamen. I even discovered that some have a mild and sweet fragrance -- if you get close enough. I love their loves best of all. You've inspired me to go get one, even if it will likely go into dormancy fairly soon. Happy New Year to you and yours, including your four-legged family. Wishing you all things green and fresh in the 2018 -- Happy New Year!

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    1. Oh goodness, how did that happen? Should read "love their leaves".

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    2. I have a cyclamen that never went dormit in hears!!! It blooms the whole year. The only problem it has that I think it has scales, the leaves turned sticky and shiny and underneath they have brown spots. I cut the bad leaves, I tried Neem oil and soap but I don’t think it helped much. I don’t want to lose this plant.

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  6. We've had pretty good luck with our Cyclamen (indoor), and I'd always heard that they were difficult to get to re-bloom, but ours even re-bloom! :-)

    This year, my husband realized that one plant had set seeds, so we tried to grow them (in peat pots), and it worked beautifully. Downside? I have more Cyclamen than I know what to do with!

    Thank you for the information here, Jennifer, and I wish you the happiest of New Years.

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  7. Always found they try to go dormant every couple months. Always mis water them though, and have some in a pot without good drainage but been going strong on and off for years now!

    Even had one go completely dormant with no growth or leaves for about a year!
    And it came back to life after some gentle little and often watering directly to the bulb!

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  8. Thanks for sharing such an informative post.

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  9. I received a beautiful indoor cyclamen for my birthday. Then a month later it up and died very quickly. It just ALL wilted! I tried to water it but that seemed to make it worse. I think a combination of central heating and not watering it correctly has killed a beautifully healthy looking plant. I'm not sure what to do but have considered placing the pot outside in a sheltered position (because we get frost) to see what happens. I'm very sad that it died so quickly and dramatically. All my other indoor plants are thriving.:'(

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  10. It might be a water issue, or thinking positively, your cyclamen may have transitioned into a dormant state.I suggest that you should stop watering your plant, and allow the leaves to die back. Then place your cyclamen in a cool, dry place for 8-10 weeks.

    To bring a rested plant out of dormancy in the fall, move it back into the light and resume your normal watering regime.

    Hope your cyclamen comes back for you!

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  11. I received my cyclamen in January of 2020. It eventually lost its blooms. I figured it would go into dormancy. Some leaves died back. But to this day, I still have 10 very healthy looking leaves with three more starting to grow from the center. Of course, it's not blossomed this past year, but is there a way to "make" your cyclamen rest or go into dormancy?

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    1. In a natural outdoor setting, cyclamen bloom in the late winter, die back and go dormant through the summer months. In an indoor setting, you should try your best to mimic the pattern of these outdoor plants. To send it into dormancy, stop watering the plant and allow the leaves to die back. Remove any spent foliage and place the pot in a cool, dark place for 2-3 months. Don't water the plant in dormancy. After the months of dormancy have past, give the pot a good drink and place the plant in a spot ideal for cyclamen. Wait for signs of growth before taking further action. Once green growth appears, water and fertilize your plant regularly. It should re-bloom for you.

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  12. Cyclamen is a native plant in my country(Iran)and I think in Turkey too.all through the winter and early spring they sell it in every flowershop and even in streets here as cheap as 2 USD for a fully bloomed Cyclamen in a 6 inche pot.Cyclamen was literally my first house plant and eventhough my sister and my friends had difficulty keeping their Cyclamens alive for more than two weeks,my Cyclamen thrived and bloomed for half of the year(all through the winter and spring)(both this year and last year) and it encouraged me to buy more plants.I believe these are the secrets to have a happy Cyclamen:
    1.keeping your room as cold as possible(not freezing cold though).I can't tolerate hot weather so my room is the coldest spot in our house.Cyclamen seems to enjoy room with temperature in range of 17-20C° just as I do.she also can handle a bit more or less but warm room temperature is a big no for her
    2.don't wait too long to water your Cyclamen while trying not to overwater it either.I use well draining soil for my Cyclamen and water her about once a week in her active growing time which is second half of fall,the whole winter and first half of spring).I sometimes bottom water and sometimes water from above without wetting her leaves.
    3.usually the leaves are dirty when you buy them.make sure to clean the leaves with a barely moist cloth when you first buy her.Cylamen is very susceptible to some sort of mite(we call them Cyclamen mites) which loves dusty leaves.
    4.this one is very important:prune away any yellow or browning or sad looking leaves.she will soon replace it with healthy leaves.also cut the dead flowers.it encourages your Cyclamen to keep blooming.
    5.Cyclamen loves bright indirect light.I put mine one feet away from south window(my window has a sheer curtain).I even put my flower in balcony in late winter mornings most of the days.from 8 until 11 the sun wasn't strong enough to burn her while she could enjoy cool fresh air and sun light.
    6.I use a diluted blooming fertilizer(mine is 12-12-36)once a month
    in late spring when I saw less blooms and less new leaves I watered her less often and pruned away yellow leaves.I also repotted her in this stage.two weeks after repotting I stopped watering her completely and I moved her pot to the darkest corner of my room.some poeple put theirs in closet but I just move her pot as far from windows as possible.I kept watching her and pinching the dying leaves until there was no leaves left.then I didn't do anything for a few months(if you want to grow Cyclamen from seeds be careful not to cut away the stem that carries the seeds.let it attach to the plant and cut it when it's dried which is usually the same time your Cyclamen is ready to take a nap)
    when the second month of autumn arrived I decided it's the time for her to wake up.I gave her a thorough watering(make sure to give your Cyclamen a good,deep drink in this stage) and moved her pot to bacony where she was able to notice brightness of the days and cooling weather.I brought in her pot in the nights because I was afraid the night temperature might be too cold for her.wait for at least 10 days before doing the second watering.it's where some poeple do it wrong and kill their Cyclamen.you should give her roots some time to wakeup and become active again.watering her often makes it rot before waking up.you can do the second watering whenever you see the new growth or at least after 10 days.if there was not new growth after 10-14 days water it when the first top inche of soil is dry.I saw the new growth exactly two weeks after first watering(which was 2 days from the second watering).
    right now it's the second year I'm trying to wake up my Cyclamen and today I gave her, her first drink. something you should know is that Cyclamens come back from dormancy just for a few times and each time it becomes weeker.so next year I might try to grow a new Cyclamen from her seeds in case she won't wake up.

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