Cyclamen Africanum

Description

Rosettes of heart shaped, mid-green leaves with pale green marbling bear pink flowers with 5 reflexed petals and dark pink bases to each petal, which appear prior to the leaves from August until October. Tubers produce roots from the top, sides, and bottom, unlike Cyclamen hederifolium, which produces roots from the top and sides, but not the bottom. Being native to northern Algeria and Tunisia it needs a leafy, well-drained soil in light shade and bulbs should be kept dry during their dormancy.

Sowing Advice

Seeds should be sown at any time, and as soon as possible after you have received them. Sow the seeds thinly onto a gritty, loamy compost and cover about 6mm or 1/4 inch deep as light can inhibit germination. Keep at between 10 and 15 degrees C. Germination can take from one to twelve months and is generally erratic, a strategy that has evolved to protect the strain in the wild. Pot on into a low-organic content compost.

Key Facts