Cyclamen Persicum

These wild plants have large heart-shaped leaves, sometimes up to 3 or 4 inches across, usually green with lighter marbling on the upper surface. Very fragrant flowers bloom from winter to spring (var. persicum) or in autumn (var. autumnale) and usually white to pale pink flowers with a band of deep pink to magenta at the base, plants going dormant in summer. It is principally a tender plant which will not tolerate frost, but grown under glass it survives temperatures as low as -2ºC provided the leaves are dry. In pots, the tubers will grow in size quickly and it is common for them to reach a diameter of over 15cm (6 inches).