Cyclamen coum

Cyclamen coum, also known as the Cos Island Cyclamen, is one of the most hardy species and one of the easiest to grow. It is highly variable in appearance, with pretty pink flowers adorned with a small purple spot at the base. It flowers in winter, bringing some colour to the otherwise barren garden. Its beautiful small round foliage is dark green marbled with grey-silver. It appears in autumn and persists until late spring before disappearing and entering dormancy in summer. Plant it in partial shade or full shade under trees, along pathways, or in shaded rockeries, where it will slowly spread to form a delightful carpet.

Cyclamen coum is a small perennial plant with a tuberous root belonging to the Primulaceae family. It is not native to the island of Cos, Greece, but rather to the mountains of Bulgaria, Turkey, and Lebanon, corresponding to the region of Eastern Cilicia, where it is usually found in shaded areas. This small species measures about 10cm (4in) in height.

The tubers are rounded and compressed, measuring up to 6.5cm (3in) in diameter. They are covered with a smooth and velvety 'skin', as are the roots coming from their centre and base. The foliage generally develops in autumn, following a dry summer. In cool and humid climates, it may sometimes appear at the same time as the flowers, in January-February. The kidney-shaped or round leaves measure about 4cm (2in) in diameter. The colour of the leaves can be a shiny dark green, a silver-grey, or show green-silver macules. Their undersides are purple. As soon as the soil dries out slightly in June, the foliage disappears and the plant goes into dormancy.

Flowering takes place from January to April, depending on the climate, following that of Cyclamen cilicicum and the autumn-flowering cyclamen from Naples. The pointed flower buds, initially lying on the ground, straighten up on reddish peduncles. Each flower measures about 1 to 2cm (1in) long. They consist of 5 rounded pink petals, curved backward. They show a small purple spot at the base of the petals. After pollination, the flower gives way to a small round fruit, with the floral stem spiralling downwards to allow the fruit to reach the ground. Ants, which delight in their sweet flesh, disperse the seeds.

Plant this pink Cyclamen coum together with the white form as a carpet. They will multiply on their own over time, forming unforgettable carpets in shady and dry areas of the garden, which are difficult to landscape. It is a perfect plant to enhance the base of a deciduous tree in woodland soil. It is resistant to cold, but its tuber fears excessive humidity, both in winter and summer, and does not tolerate complete drying out in summer. It will find its place in a semi-shady rockery that is not too dry, in the company of Anemone blanda and liverworts, for example. To enjoy a double flowering, mix them with cyclamen from Naples, which bloom in autumn.