Cyclamen hederifolium

Ivy-leaved cyclamen is perhaps the most garden worthy of this genus. Silver-veined, ivy-shaped leaves remain attractive nine months of the year. Blooms are relatively large and are a treat to behold when they emerge after summer dormancy in September or October.

These Mediterranean natives are easy to grow in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil in part shade. Plants are best grow en masse and sited under deciduous shrubs or small trees or in a shady rock garden.

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society.

Fun Fact: Cyclamen seeds are covered in a sweet substance that ants find irresistible, so ants collect and spread them around the garden. You can thank the ants when your little colony of cyclamen forms.

Tips:

• Plants should be protected through their first winter so please remember to cover with evergreen branches and dry leaves in fall.

• Do not mix cyclamen species. C. hederifolium will out-compete C. coum.

Zones: 5 to 8

Family: Primulaceae

Type: Perennial

Height: 4 to 6 in.

Spread: 6 to 12 in.

Exposure: part-shade, shade, bright full shade

Soil Conditions: dry, well-drained, average

Bloom Time: August to October

Bloom Color: Pink And White

Native Range: Southern Europe

WARNING: May cause minor vomiting or stomach upset if ingested. Sap or juice may cause dermatitis.

Image Credits:

Meneerke bloem, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons