Cyclamen 2014

[SJW]

One of my  Cyclamen parviflorum from seed I collected on the Zigana Pass in 1997

Really lovely, Tony.

[Bart]

That is a great plant Tony!
I had some in flower beginning of January, until mid February:





At the moment Cyclamen libanoticum is flowering in the garden at the foot of a birch tree- I am very pleased with it. Never tried it outdoors and always had trouble with yellowing leaves, and only one flower or so. This looks promising, first flowering from 2011 seed:

[fermi de Sousa]

My first cyclamen for 2014 is Cyclamen graecum in the Rock Garden,
cheers
fermi

[Philip Walker]

Not as impressive as some of the plants in this thread,but the 1st flower on a very young plant.
C.balearicum

[Mark Griffiths]

Philip, nice plant. I find balearicum one of the more understated ones - but I'm extremely fond of it. Wonderful scent.

[SJW]

Philip, nice plant. I find balearicum one of the more understated ones - but I'm extremely fond of it. Wonderful scent.

Hi Mark - we've had this conversation before about balearicum and creticum and the difficulty sometimes in differentiating between the two because of hybridisation...so I wonder whether the scent of the former differs from that of the latter? Vic Aspland gives an interesting talk on cyclamen identification based on where the roots arise on the tubers and also the shape of the latter. He says creticum generally has a poorer/weaker root system than balearicum (although I think they both root from one side). Perhaps that explains why they can be a bit miffy? So if you fancy knocking one out of its pot!

Here's persicum, pseudibericum and libanoticum.

[Mark Griffiths]

Steve, I think the scent is different for proper balearicum vs creticum. My problem is I think alot of the plants from Cyclamen Society seed I raised as creticum are hybrids. While the leaves look right the flowers have a faint pink veining - whereas I thought pure creticum is pure white. Not had a pink one to check. I seem to be down to one pot of pure creticum which was from CSE seed. That came up this year with lime green leaves. Not a good sign.

I find both species seem to be relatively short lived, ie about 10- 15 years and a fairly long period of decline - but balearicum tends to set seed more and germinates better so it's easier to have young strong plants. Or maybe it's just the way I grow them. I got seed of creticum from Jan Bravenboer but only one or two seedlings. Same thing with C.repandum album. Everything else I got from him are up.  They just don't germinate so well for me.

[johnstephen29]

Here are photos of some cyclamen in my glasshouse in flower at the moment. The first is C. Persicum var. Autumnale, this was sown from seed that Orun Peri sent to me from Israel. It is the first time I have got it to flower. The second is C. Elegans which is just coming into flower, I had trouble with this species when I first started growing it but I think I have got it now. The third is C. Persicum forma Albidum,  pure white flowers, looking really good. Fourth is C. Coum forma Pallidum, this is a scented plant I got from Jan bravenboer in the Netherlands, great guy. Fifth is again C. Coum forma Pallidum this one is without the scent.

[johnstephen29]

Here is C. Coum with sliver leaves that I got from Peter Moore down in Kent, starting to spread nicely, already surrounded a Madonna lily.

[David Nicholson]

Nice collection you are building John.

[johnstephen29]

I have to admit David they are a real favourite with me, I've been growing them for years. Been a member of the Cyclamen Society for a while and have entered plants into the shows at Wisley. The wife is real keen on them too which helps.

[SJW]

...C. Elegans which is just coming into flower, I had trouble with this species when I first started growing it but I think I have got it now.

John - how do you treat elegans? Seems to do well for some people and not for others (I'd put myself in the latter camp). Perhaps some forms are just better 'doers'. Having scented coum is a bonus, and I like the leaf on that one as well.

[Maggi Young]

I do agree with you John - good flowers and great foliage is fine- but  good scent is a real bonus with any plant in my book. 

[johnstephen29]

Hi Steve to be honest I'm not sure, like I said earlier when I first started growing them I did not have much luck, but I think that might have been because I was a bit too easy with the water. Now I let them dry out a bit before I water again, also I give them a feed now & again with tomorite tomato feed. It seems to be working. The leaves on this plant are really good, you are a member of the cyclamen society aren't you? Do you go to the shows at wisely? If you want I can bring some seeds with me to the October show for you if you are going.

Hi magi the scent on this plant is really nice, some scents on cyclamen are nicer than others, I'd say purpuracens & colchicum are the best really sweet, some of the others smell like primroses, others like coconut. Do you grow them, if so smell them and see what you think.

[Tony Willis]

Two  Cyclamen pseudibericum grown from my own seed collection