White Persian Cyclamen - Cyclamen persicum

The Persian White Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum, commonly known as 'florist's cyclamen') is a reliable choice to brighten the home during the colder months: its delicately reflexed flowers rise above a cushion of beautifully variegated leaves. It thrives best in a cool room or unheated conservatory, on a bright windowsill but protected from direct sunlight. Its long winter flowering period makes it a classic for our interiors.

Native to a broad Mediterranean region stretching from Algeria and Tunisia to the Levant, Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel, Syria and western Turkey, Cyclamen persicum grows wild on rocky slopes, in scrub vegetation, at the edges of pine and oak forests, often on limestone soil, up to 1000–1200 m. It is a perennial geophyte with a flattened tubercle which basal leaves are heart-shaped, dark green marbled with silver, with undersides ranging from green to reddish. In pots, its leaf rosette reaches 15–20 cm in height with a 15–25 cm spread; stems bear solitary flowers with 5 strongly reflexed petals, here white in colour. The flowering period extends from November-December to March-April, depending on conditions; after pollination, the flower stem curves towards the foliage and the fruit, which is a capsule, ripens near the soil.

Indoor cultivation: it requires bright light, without direct sunlight: for example behind an East or North-facing window. The temperature should range between 15–18 °C during the day, 10–15 °C at night; above 21 °C, flowering ceases and the plant tends to go dormant. Watering from below limits collar rot; allow the plant to drain after soaking. When the foliage yellows and disappears, reduce watering significantly and resume in autumn.
Note: the tubercle is toxic if ingested by humans and pets; place the plant out of their reach.

Cyclamen looks superb arranged in groups of three in decorative pots placed on a windowsill; it pairs well with other houseplants with similar light and temperature requirements: Cymbidium, Chlorophytum, florist's azaleas and even a gardenia. It also makes a good plant for conservatories, for example placed at the base of large Monstera.