Cyclamens for Christmas

FOR A UNIQUE alternative to the traditional holiday poinsettia or Christmas cactus, and an attractive easy-care houseplant that will bloom continuously throughout the winter months, you may want to consider giving Florist's cyclamens (Cyclamen persicum) a try. These plants offer an array of showy, brightly colored flowers in white, vivid red, pink, purple, and bicolor. The backswept blossoms resemble a gathering of tiny butterflies, each one perched on top of a slender, translucent stem that rises above the dark-green foliage. Much of cyclamens' charm comes from their intricately veined, heart-shape leaves that are green to maroon and often marbled with silver.

Given the right conditions, cyclamens brought in to bloom for the Christmas season will continue blossoming for two to three months. As each flower fades, remove the entire flower stalk from where it attaches to the tuber by giving it a sharp tug. New flowers will emerge from one of the many buds waiting just below the foliage.

The trick to growing healthy cyclamens is to keep them in a cool room with bright light and good air circulation. Day temperatures of 60° to 68° F and nights at 50° to 55° F are ideal. Cyclamens actually prefer a drafty old house to one that is toasty and well insulated, which probably explains why your grandmother's cyclamens grew so well. If your house is warm, keep your plants by a cool window, even in the garage, until you want to bring them out for display. Cyclamens grow from tubers that are half buried in potting soil. When watering, avoid getting water directly on the tubers, which could cause them to rot. A safer method is to place each pot in a saucer of water for about five minutes, or until the soil is uniformly moist. While cyclamens are in bloom, feed them every other week with a half-strength portion of liquid houseplant fertilizer.

In early spring, cyclamens stop blooming; leaves will turn yellow as the plants go dormant. Gradually reduce water until June; then set the plants outside in partial shade, and water and feed regularly. Bring them back inside in early fall. They will usually start producing new leaves and flower buds soon, and you will have recycled your cyclamens.

– –George and Becky Lohmiller