Cyclamen 2009

[ashley]

That leaf shape reminds me of a dwarf perennial plant I was given out west. I forget the name but it was a shiny green, grew on rock walls and cliffs in the southwest of England, looked like  Pilea peperomioides and died the first winter.  M..... or  O.....

Not Umbilicus rupestris or wall pennywort is it John?  If so and you want to try again please let me know.
Unfortunately I'm away from garden & records just now but certainly Jan Bravenboer's 'Green Ice' seed gave me a wonderful mix of green-on-silver & silver-on-green.

I agree Guff; purpurascens is a wonderful species & impossible to have too much of

[johnw]

That leaf shape reminds me of a dwarf perennial plant I was given out west. I forget the name but it was a shiny green, grew on rock walls and cliffs in the southwest of England, looked like  Pilea peperomioides and died the first winter.  M..... or  O.....

Not Umbilicus rupestris or wall pennywort is it John?  If so and you want to try again please let me know.
Unfortunately I'm away from garden & records just now but certainly Jan Bravenboer's 'Green Ice' seed gave me a wonderful mix of green-on-silver & silver-on-green.

I agree Guff; purpurascens is a wonderful species & impossible to have too much of

That's the one Ashley.  The word Omphalos was in my head so I wasn't too far off the mark.

I don't think the Umbilicus will be hardy here but thanks for the offer.

I'll certainly try some of Jan's seed, another thanks.

johnw

[Guff]

On the subject of time to flower. I have had buds on coum and purpurascens at 6 months, the coum didn't open though until spring. Hederifolium, I sowed seed August 17 08, they started to germinate August 30ish, first sign of buds was July 26 09. They were grown in my cool basement with the lights on 24/7.

Pot of Hederifolium 1 year old seedlings, picture was taken September 19th.

[johnw]

On the subject of time to flower. I have had buds on coum and purpurascens at 6 months, the coum didn't open though until spring. Hederifolium, I sowed seed August 17 08, they started to germinate August 30ish, first sign of buds was July 26 09. They were grown in my cool basement with the lights on 24/7.

Pot of Hederifolium 1 year old seedlings, picture was taken September 19th.

Guff  - They look great.

Mine too are under fluorescents in a cool room in the basement (thick stone walls so ut rarely heats up and never freezes) - 4-12c. The lights are 3 years old and are left on all the time.

johnw

[Guff]

Johnw thanks.

My setup, picture is from November 04, 2008. There are about 450ish coum/hederifolium seedlings there. I'm using fluorex bulbs.

[johnw]

Guff  - I'm using 48" cool whites as we can get them for about $30 for a case of 30. Have 12 double flourescent light fixtures in the house and greenhouse and 2 sodiums in the barn.  The sodiums are expensive but they heat the barn too, the furnace rarely comes on.

johnw

[Sinchets]

Greenhouse effect? Where?

[Guff]

My brother took these for me.

Dark Purple Hederifolium

[Paul T]

Great colour, Guff.  Beautiful.

[fermi de Sousa]

This is one of the Cyclamen persicum I raised from Seedex labelled "ex Israel",


It's doing well in the Shade-house but after seeing Oron's postings earlier in the year I'm inclined to think they could survive outside in the rock garden.
cheers
fermi

[Ragged Robin]

My brother took these for me.

Dark Purple Hederifolium

Guff, I love the colour, dark and very striking - the conditions you are growing them in are similar to under a pine I have here but I'm wondering if your ground/needle surface dries out like mine in summer and how deep are the corms buried in it?

[tonyg]

Robin.  I don't think the summer dry would be a problem, possible that prolonged snow cover will be disadvantageous for a plant in full leaf by late autumn.  It grows wild not far from you along the Valley and lower slopes of Vaud Alps South of Lac Leman.  Others will perhaps comment on their experience with it in the mountains.  I reckon it could be OK.  Cheap to obtain and easy from seed it is worth a try ... and how good it would look, naturalised on your rocky slopes!

[Ragged Robin]

Robin.  I don't think the summer dry would be a problem, possible that prolonged snow cover will be disadvantageous for a plant in full leaf by late autumn.  It grows wild not far from you along the Valley and lower slopes of Vaud Alps South of Lac Leman.  Others will perhaps comment on their experience with it in the mountains.  I reckon it could be OK.  Cheap to obtain and easy from seed it is worth a try ... and how good it would look, naturalised on your rocky slopes!

Tony, thanks for your thoughts - after having seen Thomas's photos of cyclamen around the lake on his holiday I am really longing to give it a go and then Guff's photo's spurred me on - I would love them to naturalise at the side of the chalet where I go in and out and the pine litter is good, I think.  I would like to join the Crocus Group on return and pay my dues then....by the way how long from seed to corm are we talking about?

[tonyg]

Robin - Thomas saw Cyclamen purpurascens in Italy ... he will correct me if he also saw Cyclamen hederifolium.  It is the latter that I was referring to, not sure about C purpurascens for dry places

Crocus from seed to flower 2-4 years, can take longer if things don't grow right!  The some care needed through the seasons in pots but for you open garden sowing (in that raised bed perhaps) might be safest.

Sunshine, half-day off, chores done, an hour until the school run (followed by work ) so I'm off ointo the garden while I can

[Thomas Huber]

Robin - Thomas saw Cyclamen purpurascens in Italy ... he will correct me if he also saw Cyclamen hederifolium.  It is the latter that I was referring to, not sure about C purpurascens for dry places

He won't correct you - I saw only purpurascens on Lago di Garda.
The most Northern plant of hederifolium I found was in Toscany, South of Pisa.
I never found them in Southern France nor in Liguria, although they should grow there
according to literature.