How to Care for Cyclamen

All about keeping your cyclamen happy!

Light

Indoors, I recommend giving your plant anything from medium to bright, indirect light levels. It’s unlikely that the winter sun where I live will ever burn a houseplant, no matter how bright the window.

Outdoors, cyclamen plants prefer partial shade and do not tolerate direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Cyclamen persicum is the best suited to lower light conditions and can tolerate shadier locations.

Cyclamen are sensitive to strong, direct sunlight, which can cause their leaves to yellow and their flowers to fade. That said, cyclamen hederifolium and cyclamen coum may be able to tolerate more sunlight and may do well in partially sunny locations outdoors.

Water

In pots, water the cyclamen persicum regularly during its growing season—whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry. You’ll want to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Too much moisture can lead to root rot.

I recommend checking the soil moisture regularly until you fall into a bit of a routine. During the dormant period (when the plant is not producing flowers or leaves), you can even let the soil dry out between watering sessions. The goal is basically to keep the plant alive until the spring.

Outdoors, if you have a hardy variety in the ground, water regularly when you first plant it. After a few weeks, the root system should be well established, and you can generally let mother nature handle things.

Soil

In pots, use a well-draining soil mix so that all of the excess water will flow from the pot’s drainage holes. This helps prevent root rot.

Outdoors, you can amend the ground soil with some leaf compost to help encourage drainage and air flow. I generally pick up a bag of leaf compost that I keep it on hand and grab a handful or two to help amend the soil for anything I plant. Our soil sucks.

Fertilizer

In pots and outdoors, cyclamen is a somewhat heavy feeder that will benefit from regular fertilization with a balanced fertilizer. I recommended fertilizing cyclamen every few weeks during the growing season. Use something with a balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Hardiness

Cyclamen plants are often associated with the holidays due to their ability to tolerate cooler temperatures and lower light conditions. But cyclamen hardiness to low temperatures varies greatly by the variety.

Cyclamen hederifolium and cyclamen coum are examples of varieties that are generally hardy down to USDA grow zone 4. These plants are native to Europe and tolerate cooler climates well.

However, cyclamen persicum is only hardy down to grow zone 9. That means that it is best grown as a houseplant or as a potted plant that you move indoors when it gets too cold. Always verify the variety you’re growing before planting it in the ground or leaving it outside in a pot.

If you have your plant outdoors and it dies off above the surface, it’s possible it will resprout when temperatures rise. That’s because cyclamen can develop a bulb-like structure under the surface of the soil called a tuber. These tubers can resprout for decades if you give them the right care.

Want more holiday plants? Check out my posts about How to Grow Paperwhites Indoors and Growing Amaryllis Bulbs Indoors!

Humidity

Cyclamen persicum prefers moderate to high humidity levels and may benefit from additional humidity if it’s super dry. Remember, they are native to the eastern Mediterranean region. The air there is typically more humid than in many other parts of the world.

I recommend monitoring the humidity levels in the room you have the plant in and increasing the humidity if necessary. You can mist the plant regularly or use a humidifier.

Blooming

Cyclamen plants generally produce flowers that last for several weeks to a few months. Cyclamen persicum—the one you’re most likely to find in stores around the holidays—produces flowers that can last for several weeks to a few months. These plants typically produce fragrant flowers in shades of white, pink, or purple.

After a cyclamen plant has finished flowering, you can continue caring for it in the same way as you did before it flowered. Deadhead (remove) the dead flowers to keep the plant looking neat and tidy.

Pests

Cyclamen plants are generally resistant to pests, but aphids, thrips, mealybugs, or whiteflies can occasionally move in and feed on the plant.

• Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of plants. They can cause distorted or stunted growth and may produce a sticky substance called honeydew. This can attract ants or encourage the growth of mold.
• Thrips are nasty to get rid of, and you’ll want to catch them early in their lifecycle. That’s because their lifecycle is several weeks, and they reproduce in both the soil and on the foliage. Read more about thrips here.
• Mealybugs are small, white insects that feed on plant sap and secrete a waxy substance as they feed. They can weaken cyclamen plants and cause distorted growth. (See my mealybug overview post for more.)
• Whiteflies are small, white insects that feed on the sap of plants. They can cause yellowing or wilting of the leaves. They can also produce honeydew, which can attract ants or encourage mold growth.

If you notice any of these pests on your cyclamen, I recommend treating it with an appropriate insecticide. Just buy something from your local nursery and spray it down—make sure to get the tops and bottoms of all of the leaves, too!

Toxicity

Cyclamen plants contain a number of toxic compounds, including saponins, alkaloids, and glycosides. Saponins are a type of chemical compound that can cause irritation and inflammation in the digestive system when ingested.

Alkaloids are a class of chemical compounds that can have toxic effects on the body. Glycosides are chemical compounds that can cause problems in the digestive system and can also affect the heart and circulation.

The most toxic part of the cyclamen plant is the tubers (the underground parts). These tubers contain the highest concentration of toxic compounds and can cause serious symptoms if ingested. However, remember that the level of toxins can vary from species to species, and that the effects of toxins depends on their dose.

Some species of cyclamen, such as cyclamen persicum, are generally considered to be more toxic than others. I recommend keeping all cyclamen plants out of reach of children and pets. It’s always better to be safe than sorry! Read more from the ASPCA.

Common types

Many shops sell the popular cyclamen persicum around the holidays. It’s also known as the florist’s cyclamen or the Persian cyclamen. This species produces fragrant flowers and colorful, patterned leaves. 

Hobbyists often grow persicum as a houseplant because of its ability to tolerate lower light conditions and cooler temperatures (50-70 degrees Fahrenheit). They are popular gifts around the holidays, and you’ll often see them decorating homes and offices.

Cyclamen hederifolium and cyclamen coum are also popular varieties you may notice in stores around the holidays. Both of these are native to Europe and look pretty similar.

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