Easter Parade

by MARÉ BRENNAN
Photograph by KELLY MOORE CLARK

Easy to care for, cyclamen delights with fragrant blossoms in a wide variety of colors like fuschia, pink, red and white and lush heart shaped foliage. We planted ours in this delightful bunny planter sourced from The Muffin Tin / Trenton House. 

CYCLAMEN (Cyclamen persicum)

Cyclamen is a perennial that goes dormant during the summer months and reemerges during the fall. 

Although cyclamen is often found as a houseplant, used widely during the Christmas holidays, use caution as cyclamen is a toxicity risk for animals and humans if ingested. 

If grown outdoors, cyclamen needs well-drained soil and should be planted in an area that gets bright indirect light, but not much direct sunlight. Cyclamen persicum has been cultivated in varieties that excel as houseplants.

Cyclamen persicumis often grown indoors in pots. While it may go dormant for the summer, with proper care, it will regrow and rebloom in the fall. If you keep your home cool during summer, your plant may just lose a few leaves. 

When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. During this period, water whenever the soil feels dry about an inch below its surface. Avoid getting water on the leaves or crown of the plant, where the stem meets the roots. A great way to water cyclamen is to put the pot on a tray then add water to the tray so that the roots take up the moisture.  During the summer when the plant is dormant, water only to prevent the soil from entirely drying out.

Pinch off spent blooms and yellowing leaves to extend blooming season.