Cyclamen 2009

[Regelian]

I have just received some Cyclamen corms and need to know how winter hardy they may be.  I am in a Zone 8, about -11°C in a hard year.  The species are C. balearicum, C. creticum and C. trochopteranthum.  Any advice as to soil requirements?

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks Tony and Thomas for clarifying the Cyclamen for me - I will try C. hederifolium under the pine tree here.

[Hans J]

Hi Robin ,

I have seen a lot of places with Cyclamen ....
After my knowledge I would say C.purpurascens is much better for you .
I know it from Savoyen ,Swizzera, Italy, Croatia,Slovenia,Germany .....
On which altitude is your chalet in Valais ? ....I have seen C. purpurascens until 1700 m growing -they are really hardy
A problem could be your soil -they prefer more calcy soil and Valais is not calcy ( so far I know )

Good luck
Hans

[Ragged Robin]

Hi Hans,

Thanks for your interesting comments about habitats for C.purpurascen - here in Valais we are at the most southern tip of Switzerland and there are lots of limestone outcrops so calcy regions as well as acid - we are at 1,200 metres and facing south above a village called Salvan.

As far as I can conclude we have pretty neutral soil in the garden and are on rocks and moraine which goes almost solid in summer but is well drained and soaked by meltwater in the Spring.  Not ideal for planting bulbs but I am using a pick axe and filling the holes with humus on the dry slope.  The slope at the back is in part shade and so is wet to a degree even in summer. It was the pine needle mulch on the side slope that led me to believe I could try to naturalise Cyclamen of some sort.

[Miriam]

Wow...I wasn't crazy about Cyclamen, but after I have seen this thread 
My opinion has changed 
Now the problem is where I find a new place in my garden for all I want...

[ashley]

... C. purpurascens ... prefer more calcy soil and Valais is not calcy ( so far I know )

... although here it grows happily enough in neutral or slightly acid soil too, given moisture and a little shade.

It's worth experimenting Robin

[Ragged Robin]

I think so too Ashley   

[Thomas Huber]

I have just received some Cyclamen corms and need to know how winter hardy they may be.  I am in a Zone 8, about -11°C in a hard year.  The species are C. balearicum, C. creticum and C. trochopteranthum.  Any advice as to soil requirements?

Jamie balearicum and creticum are not hardy in Germany. But trochopteranthum surived our last hard winter in my garden (-24°C).
I'm sure it will also survive the winters in Kölle if you give them good drainage and a sheltered place under a shrub or near the housewall.

[Thomas Huber]

- While the crocus are very late this year in my garden, the silver leaves of this Cyclamen coum are already in full growth.

- 4 of my 6 arrow leaf Cyclamen hederifolium, grown from seed

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Nice arrow leaved C. hederifolium Thomas !! 

[Regelian]

Thomas,

thanks, I suspected as much.  Nice grauwacke!  Great for rockeries, isn't it.  Seedlings are pretty wonderful, as well.

Allaf, aus Kölle,

Jamie

[Ragged Robin]

- While the crocus are very late this year in my garden, the silver leaves of this Cyclamen coum are already in full growth.

- 4 of my 6 arrow leaf Cyclamen hederifolium, grown from seed

Congartualtions your Cyclamen hederifolium, grown from seed are really lovely, Thomas, the shape of the leaves is so cool   

This is what Tonyg means that I can try here, I think, but will they like to be in full sun most of the day?  I have read that they like to have their roots in cool rock crevices, which I could provide....

[johnw]

Splendid Cyclamens Thomas. The coum is especially nice.

johnw

[Thomas Huber]

Jamie, I never noticed that my rocks are "Grauwacke" - I built all my rockgardens
from rocks that I collected from the fields around my hometown. Mainly sandstone!

Great you all like the arrow-leaf-form. I just had a few flowers this year (sown in 2007)
so perhaps we can talk about seed exchange next year.

Robin, I still have some seed of Cyclamen hederifolium and coum (mixed) - so if you want to try some....

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks Thomas for your kind offer, would love to try some...when back in the UK will PM you.

(you can see the conditions I'm talking about in my Alpine garden New beginnings thread, updated today, in General, Alpines)

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3952.0