Florist's Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum): Winter-Blooming Tuberous Beauty

Florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is a tuberous perennial grown for its upswept, butterfly-like flowers in white, pink, red, purple, and bicolors, often with ruffled or fringed petals, held above heart-shaped, silver-marked leaves. It blooms in winter when little else does.

Culture

Bright, indirect light; cool temperatures (50–65°F). Water from below when soil surface dries—avoid wetting the tuber crown. Well-draining soil. After flowering, reduce watering for summer dormancy. Repot in fall.

Taxonomy

• Family: Primulaceae
• Genus: Cyclamen
• Species: persicum
• Synonym: Cyclamen indicum