Persian cyclamen , whose better name is alpine violet, blooms in winter, making it a great decoration for homes. However, he can be capricious, andcyclamen carerequires a lot of care. So what growing conditions do Persian cyclamen require, is the winter flowering season a good time to buy this plant, what to do when the cyclamen is wilting or not blooming, and is the commonly used namealpine violetcorrect for this plant ?
Persian cyclamen, alpine violet
Persian cyclamen(Cyclamen persicum), is a bulbous perennial belonging to the primrose family, which came to us from southern Europe (it grows wild.in in the mountainous regions of Greece). In its natural state, this species is also found in West Asia and North Africa.
Note!Very often Persian cyclamen is wrongly namedalpine violetMeanwhile, alpine violet is a completely different species, belonging to the violet family, occurring naturally in the Carpathians and eastern Alps.
More information about the dilemmas as to the name of this plant can be found on our blog, in the entry Alpine violet or Persian cyclamen?Persian cyclamen - pot cultivation
Due to the lack of frost resistancePersian cyclamenis grown in our climate as a pot plant, blooming at an unusual date - from October to the end of April.Alpine violetis therefore an excellent interior decoration during the winter.
Thanks to numerous breeding procedures, interestingvarieties of cyclamenhave been obtained, blooming in a wide range of colors, ranging from white, through pink, salmon, and ending with red.There are also varieties with flowers with lighter petals at the edges (pastel cyclamen), with jagged petals (Fimbriatum group), and additionally corrugated and wavy (Rococo group). Cyclamens from the Odoratum group have fragrant flowers, and in the Decora group we can also admire beautifully decorated leaves. Thanks to such a variety and numerous decorative qualities of varieties, cyclamens are undoubtedly the most popular winter flowering potted flowers.
When buying a plant, pay attention to a sufficient number of flower buds hidden under the leaves. Persian cyclamen requires a bright (but not directly exposed to sunlight), airy and cool position, with an optimal temperature of 15 ° C. For example, a northern window sill will be good, with no radiator underneath it.
Caution!Newly bought cyclamen can be easily damaged by too low temperature. Therefore, never buy cyclamen on a frosty day, and during transport from the flower shop to the apartment, the plant must be well packed and protected against wind.
Persian cyclamen - care
How to water cyclamen?
Caring for cyclamencauses difficulties mainly due to the plant's sensitivity to inappropriatewatering the alpine violetWater the plant moderately, taking care not to flood the tuber. So it is best to pour water directly into the base, after about 30 minutes remove excess water. The soil should be kept moist but not too wet. During flowering, fertilize the plant once a week with fertilizer for flowering plants.How to extend the flowering of cyclamen?
The flowering ofalpine violetcan be extended by removing wilting flower shoots with tied seeds. To do this, twist the flower with a firm, strong movement and tear it away from the tuber. However, care should be taken not to confuse the removed shoots with the seed boxes and not to accidentally tear the shoot out with a flower bud. All shoots should be removed. Their fragments left on the tuber will rot and lead to the entire plant wilting. What to do when the alpine violet blooms?
Persian cyclamenusually fades in April or May. Then it should be moved to a cold and darker room, and when the risk of frost is over, usually from the second half of May, it is best to put it outside, where it can spend the whole summer. Partially shaded and cool places are best. For this period, we should limit watering and stop fertilizing completely.
When to transplant an alpine violet?
In August or at the beginning of September, the tubersAlpine cyclamenare transplanted into fresh soil and carried inside. We start fertilization, but until the cyclamens bloom, we fertilize only once every two weeks.
How many years can an alpine violet grow?
It is not always possible to storePersian cyclamenuntil the next year. If it succeeds, we can take it as a real success. It is also worth remembering that over time the plants age and stop producing flowers, so it makes no sense to store them for more than 2-3 years.
Persian cyclamen - diseases
The reason for failure incultivation of Cyclamenmay be tuber rot caused by excessive substrate moisture. ThisAlpine Violet diseasealways occurs when water is poured into the pot from above. Therefore, cyclamen must be watered by pouring water into the base. OtherPersian cyclamen diseasesis gray mold, most often appearing at the base of flower stalks and petioles, as well as downy mildew, which attacks leaves.
Persian cyclamen - reproduction
"Reproduction of the Persian cyclamentakes place from seeds, but due to the specific and quite difficult conditions of this process, it is worth leaving it to professional growers. If you decide togrow cyclamen from seedsbought in the garden store, it is best to sow them at the end of summer, remembering that they germinate in the dark. Before sowing, it is good to soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 12 hours, which will speed up the emergence.Move the cyclamen to a bright room when the first seedlings appear. However, they should be protected from direct sunlight.
Alpine violetcan also be propagated by dividing the tuber. The tuber is divided into fragments containing the so-called mesh. The resulting wounds should be protected, for example, with charcoal, and the tuber fragments should be planted in a permeable substrate.
Cyclamens can also be grown in gardens. For this purpose, however, it is necessary to choose frost-resistant species, such as disc cyclamen, reddening cyclamen or ivy-leaved cyclamen. More about these plants on our blog, in the entry garden cyclamen. "
