Cyclamen Plant Care For Winter Colour

Cyclamen are beautiful, petite ornamentals that are beloved around the holidays. They are one of the world’s most popular potted plants, distinguished by their compact size, elegantly variegated leaves, and vividly coloured blooms in a range of sizes, shapes, and patterns. They are considered easy to grow. However, indoor cyclamen plant care is quite different from other houseplants.

Because cyclamen flowers bloom in the winter, they are frequently given as gifts during thanksgiving or throughout the holidays. The blooms are gorgeous and last a long time! Cooler temperatures and the removal of spent blooms both help to extend flowering time.

Unfortunately, once they’ve finished blooming, most people throw them away. The plant enters its natural rest phase, and people will believe that it is dying or that they have killed it. Inversely, trying to keep a cyclamen in bloom all the time is a bad idea since cyclamens require a period of dormancy, unsually of 2 or 3 months.

You may keep your plant for years if you properly care for it, and it will bloom repeatedly!

Read our complimentary article if you are interested in propagating cyclamen.

About the Plant

There are several different types of cyclamens to select from. Some have ruffled blooms, while others are rounded. Whatever variety you pick, you won’t be disappointed. They all feature huge, brilliant flowers that seem to float above the gorgeous heart-shaped leaves.

“Is a cyclamen plant poisonous?” is a question I frequently get asked. Yes, they are. Cyclamen plants can be harmful to cats, dogs, and people. So, keep this one out of reach if you have any pets or children.

Cyclamen Plant Care

The most common mistake with cyclamen care is attempting to encourage them to flower all year. Most individuals are unaware that cyclamens require a period of rest, or dormancy, in order to live.

The leaves change to yellow and die when the plant no longer grows. This is entirely normal. On the other hand, most folks think they’re doing something wrong, so they try to preserve the plant by giving it more water, light, or heat, only to end up killing it for real.

Once you’ve seen how cyclamen plants develop, caring for them will be a breeze!

Temperature and Location

The temperature is critical to Cyclamen. If it becomes too hot, they’ll need to be hibernated early. They like to be kept at a cool temperature but aren’t frost tolerant. Indoor Cyclamen should be grown in a temperature range of 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The flowers will stay fresh longer if they’re kept cold.

Bats also need a humid environment. They are sensitive to drafts and should be kept away from them where possible, especially when heat or cold air blows. During the winter, please keep them in the most incredible area of your house to provide ideal Cyclamen growing circumstances.

Water Requirement

Cyclamen need to be watered differently than most houseplants. Like African violets, cyclamen flowers don’t like getting their leaves or stems wet. As a result, it’s preferable to water them from the bottom rather than from the top.

Fill the plant tray or cache pot with water and let it soak up through the holes in the bottom of the container. Allow the soil to dry totally before repotting. When the ground is wet, remove any remaining water from the tray and let the remainder drain thoroughly out of the pot. Never allow a plant to sit in water for an extended period.

Cyclamens prefer to have their soil kept evenly moist during the growing period. However, constant overwatering will harm them! Allow it to dry slightly between watering periods, but don’t let it dry out completely. Check the dirt each time to see whether it needs more water.

If you’re not sure how to water your cactus in a way that maintains its proper hydration, I recommend investing in a soil moisture gauge to assist you. Growing cyclamen plants in an African violet pot is ideal because it protects against overwatering.

Humidity

Humidity is also crucial to cyclamen plant health. Furthermore, they appreciate a high moisture level, which is especially true during winter. Air conditioning sucks the humidity out of our homes. This isn’t just harmful to our skin; it can also be detrimental to houseplants.

You can add a humidifier to the vicinity of your Cyclamen to assist boost the humidity level. You might also try putting it on a pebble tray filled with water (but don’t let it sit in the water). Another fantastic choice is to cultivate Cyclamen in a little plant cloche, in a sunny bathroom or kitchen, or use an indoor greenhouse. You can keep an interior humidity monitor near them to ensure the air does not become too dry.

Light

Because Cyclamen plants like bright indirect light but not too much heat, keep them away from the sun. In any case, direct sunshine is too strong for them. They will be just fine in a brightly lit area with indirect sunshine or near an east or west-facing window. Keeping a pot of Cyclamen in a hilltop garden could also increase the property’s value and plant growth.

Repotting

You can report your potted Cyclamen if it has outgrown its container. Repotting is best done while the plants are dormant. For container gardening, essential potting soil should be sufficient. For Cyclamen in containers, an African violet mix is ideal.

If you’re constantly overwatering your plants or the soil dries out too quickly, I suggest sprinkling in some peat moss or vermiculite to aid in moisture retention. Make sure the same depth is maintained in your Cyclamen’s new container. The tubers should be placed just above the soil surface.

Fertilizer

You may fertilize your Cyclamen with a half dose of liquid plant food every 2-4 weeks while it is actively growing and blooming. Stop feeding it when the flowers have faded, and do not fertilize it when it’s dormant. You can resume feeding when the plant begins to develop new growth, as it awakes from dormancy. The general rule is to feed cyclamen plants while the leaves grow.

If you don’t have access to a garden, try using an organic compost tea, which comes in liquid form or can be purchased in compost tea bags and brewed at home. An organic African violet fertilizer is ideal, but a general-purpose one also works well for feeding cyclamens.

Pests and Pest Control

Pests are uncommon in cyclamen plants that are cared for properly, but spider mites and fungus gnats can become a problem. Spider mites prefer dry conditions and will not survive if the environment is too humid. So, to increase the humidity level around the plant, increase the humidity level in the area.

You can wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to control them, but don’t spray anything on your cyclamen plant because you may harm the leaves. Fungus gnats, on the other hand, favor moist soil. They’re simply a nuisance and seldom cause any damage to a plant. If gnats are swarming around your plants, wait a bit longer between waterings. A yellow sticky trap might be used to get rid of them.

Toxicity to Cats and Dogs

Cyclamen tubers and roots are toxic to both cats and dogs, according to the ASPCA. Toxic saponins are found in Cyclamen species, particularly tubers. It is unknown whether the leaves and blooms are poisonous in any way. However, there has been minimal worry about the potential for toxicity. Cyclamen bulbs were recommended as an aphrodisiac by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus (about 371-287 BCE), and their reputation for this reason continues to this day. They are being studied for potential medical uses.

Author Bio

My name is Biggyan, a writer who specializes in flowers and writes for Plantscraze.com and century-foods.com. Whenever I get some time for myself, I spend it by either reading a book or watching a movie. I also do freelance writing whenever I get time and have been doing so for the past three years.