Cyclamen Persicum

Hey everyone! I'm Franco, a new subscriber here at DG. I have forever been a fan of cyclamen, yet always seem to kill them. Currently I have two beside me on my computer desk that are doing fairly well, but they always seem to wither away and die. I know they like the cooler temps and I've found they like to dry out almost completely before being watered again.

Though, from what I've read this is pretty common; it seems I always hear of an individual's cyclamen dying and never someone that has had success with the persicum variety. What is everyone's experience with them here?

I also currently have a singe tuber of hederofolium planted outside here in zone 6. It was just recently planted so I won't see any growth till fall.

I am successful with growing orchids, tacca (bat plants), and various other tropicals ... I just can't seem to get it right with cyclamen (Though I continue to buy them).

This message was edited Mar 26, 2011 9:44 PM

For some reason I can't get them to come back after they go dormant. I'll be watching this thread....

Here are my two cyclamen! They are doing good thus far. I water them when dry (right when the flowers start to lean; but not droop). Also just gave them a shot of tomato fertilizer.

Here are some Cyclamen growing in my Florida room.

Here are some more, growing in the greenhouse.

I also have some that stay out in the ground all year. The ones in the ground didn't go dormant this year, but I don't know why. It is normal for them to lose leaves and try to go dormant, but they quickly replace lost leaves. Apparently, light level has not much to do with them flourishning or not, as the greenhouse is darker than the Florida room or the outdoors.

I really don't know what to say, unless they need more humidity than you can give them. To remedy the humidity level, you can fill a bowl with rocks and water, but not too much water, and set the cyclamen pot on top of that.

Let us know if you figure out what is causing your problem. Have you checked to see if the plant has mites? Are you fertilizing it? Are you keeping the soil too moist or too dry?