| With their swept back petals and pouting mouths, | | | | In addition, the flowers vary in shape and may be |
| cyclamen would appear to have a flare for drama. | | | | ruffled, double, single or twisted. They are often |
| Like garden cyclamen, the cyclamen sold as | | | | scented. In recent decades, attention has been |
| indoor house plants in autumn grow from tubers, | | | | given to breeding miniature flowers, more akin to |
| which root both from the base and the sides. | | | | then species found in the wild, which is a welcome |
| They are all derived from cyclamen premium, | | | | move. Hybridizers have also emphasized foliage |
| which is a spring flowering plant native to the | | | | color and form, with pride of place being given to |
| countries of the eastern Mediterranean and | | | | intricate markings and contrasting patches of |
| Rhodes, Crete and Libya. | | | | silver and green. |
| In the wild the flowers are white, pale mauve, | | | | In the past few years, there has also been a |
| pale pink or deep pink. The leaves are variable but | | | | move to breed plants that will thrive at lower |
| often have intricate silver zoning, spotting or | | | | temperatures and serve the dual purpose of |
| margins. Many cultivars have been bred from | | | | flowering in outdoor containers in autumn as well |
| these beautiful plants, which means that forms | | | | as in indoor containers in winter. The resulting |
| are now available with blooms in white and many | | | | miracle series is a great bonus to all gardeners, |
| shades of salmon pink, scarlet and purple as well | | | | both outdoor and indoor. Remove any damaged |
| as pink, and they often have a distinctive darker | | | | leaves or fading flowers with a simple sharp tug |
| central spot. | | | | close to the base of the stem. |