Cyclamen 2009

[Martin Baxendale]

Scented hederifolium tend to have a light violet-like fragrance, rather like a watered-down version of purpurascens scent. My parents used to have a very good scented plant they were given many years ago but the seedlings I raised from it weren't particluarly scented. There are wild populations in various locations  that are reputedly known for their scent, but there doesn't seem to be a reliable commercial scented strain that's widely available. Maybe it's a recessive genetic thing and you need cross-pollination between scented individuals.

[Sinchets]

The area where they were growing did smell faintly of violets. Chris was the one down on his knees taking photos and he was the one who noticed that ony some of the plants were scented. There seemed to be more of a scent coming from the pinker individuals. The flowers here were also larger, with broader petals, than the ones which grow closer to us.

[Roma]

Does anyone know what Cyclamen cilicium 'Bowles' Variety' should look like?  Was it selected for flower or leaf?  I sowed seed from the Cyclamen Society in January 2006 and now have 8 very varied plants.  Two are pure white with large flowers.  One is white with a pink nose and fairly broad petals.  The others vary from off white with pink nose to the usual cilicium shade of pink.   

[annew]

The white with pink nose is lovely.

[Martin Baxendale]

Does anyone know what Cyclamen cilicium 'Bowles' Variety' should look like?  Was it selected for flower or leaf?   

Christopher Grey-Wilson says cilicium 'Bowles' Variety' presumably originate from Myddleton House but are pretty much indistinguishable from ordinary cilicium.

[johnw]

When exactly does the Cyclamen Society seed list come out?  Last year it was in the June 2008 Journal. The June 2009 issue has not arrived yet and it seems to be awfully late.  I've been a member for more than twenty years and can't recall!  The seedex is always dependable though.

johnw

[Diane Clement]

When exactly does the Cyclamen Society seed list come out?  Last year it was in the June 2008 Journal. The June 2009 issue has not arrived yet and it seems to be awfully late.  I've been a member for more than twenty years and can't recall!  The seedex is always dependable though.   johnw 

The seed list was in the June 2009 journal, as usual.  I would suggest you contact the society about your late/missing journal so you don't miss out on the seed exchange

[johnw]

The seed list was in the June 2009 journal, as usual.  I would suggest you contact the society about your late/missing journal so you don't miss out on the seed exchange

Thanks Diane.  Dues were paid 6 weeks or so ago so the Journal must be missing in the mail.

johnw

[Hans A.]

Apart of C. rohlfsianum, which is one of my favourites, hardly any cylamen are flowering here -  but this species shows some nice variation.

[Oron Peri]

Fantastic photos from everyone,
Like with Hans A. most of the cyclamen are still dormant or just starting to show up, first are some Rohlfsianum and Graecum album.

[Melvyn Jope]

Scented hederifolium tend to have a light violet-like fragrance, rather like a watered-down version of purpurascens scent. My parents used to have a very good scented plant they were given many years ago but the seedlings I raised from it weren't particluarly scented. There are wild populations in various locations  that are reputedly known for their scent, but there doesn't seem to be a reliable commercial scented strain that's widely available. Maybe it's a recessive genetic thing and you need cross-pollination between scented individuals.

The Cyclamen hederifolium found on the Cyclamen Society field trips to Corfu in 2007 and Zakinthos in 2008 were all scented so perhaps the key to getting a scented plant is to ensure that it is a seedling where the parentage can be traced back to either of these islands. The real rarity in C. hederifolium is to find the pure white form that is scented, we found two in Corfu.

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks for the info, Melvyn. I was going to have a look back through my old Cyclamen Society journals to see what I could glean about the sources of scented plants but you saved me the trouble. I suppose the problem would be that unless the plants were first generation seedlings from those scented island populations, then they may have crossed with other non-scented hederifoliums in cultivation. I've just checked in Christopher Grey-Wilson's book and he says that you only get scented seedlings if both parents are scented. So I guess that's the problem in cultivation, any scented strain being prone to losing its scent unless kept isolated from non-scented plants. It would be great to do some selective breeding with scented hederifoliums on a large enough scale to develop increased fragrance.

[Hans A.]

Like with Hans A. most of the cyclamen are still dormant or just starting to show up, first are some Rohlfsianum and Graecum album.

That is funny - this are exactly the plants which are in flower here!

[dominique]

I have received and sown seeds of Cyclamen leicolor in 2007 from a bulgarian botanical garden origin. I have found nothing about this species or ... Looking at the leaves now, I suppose it is a form (?) of Cyclamen persicum. What do you think about it ?
Dom

[johnw]

Speaking of C. hederifolium, we planted a batch if various kinds of CS hederifolium seed on the 12th of December 2008.  Each variety is rather overcrowded in 3" square pots.  Tonight I noticed 5 hederifolium 'Nettleton Silver' seedlings are about to open flowers.  I've never had cyclamen bloom so early in life.  Is this usual for ex 'Nettleton Silver' seedlings?  Or should I blame Ian Young's recommendation of frequent  applications of sulphate of potash?  Nothing as good as the foliage of a 'Nettleton Silver' I got from Potterton & Martin has appeared amongst the seedlings, ...yet.

johnw