This gorgeous, colourful, winter-flowering plant is perfect in your home or in a frost-free outdoor area. The bright red of these flowers, tipped with a delicate pale white at the petals' edges, contrasts with deep green foliage patterned with silver variegation. Grow this plant over winter when there's less colour about to add that splash in; over summer, just keep it 'ticking over' during its dormancy - this helps it bloom that much brighter the following winter. Add a splash of cold-season colour and fill a cooler part of your home with these gorgeous blooms.
Scientific Name
Cyclamen persicum 'Red Wine' (Persian round-tubered plant, cultivar: red wine))
Common Name
Florists' Cyclamen, Red Cyclamen, Sowbread, Red Sowbread, Persian Violet
Origin
Native to the Near East and North Africa
Light
This cyclamen will appreciate bright light but doesn't need loads of direct sun. Make sure it's somewhere with enough light to read by but without damaging midday or afternoon sun.
Water
Cyclamens like their soil to be quite consistently moist, but not overly soggy, so make sure you let just the top layer dry out between waters.
Humidity
Your cyclamen will like a humid environment, so keep it out of draughts and away from heaters.
Soil
A mix with both porous and non-porous materials, such as a mix of coir, grit and bark will work well here; look for one designed for Syngoniums for the perfect mix. Repot every couple of years during the cyclamen's summer dormancy period.
Food
Feed every three waters whilst blooming, reduce to every four when it is just growing leaves. A houseplant feed will work. Feeding is not necessary during its summer dormancy.
Temperature
This plant can tolerate temperatures down to -3°C but will prefer to stay between 5-25°C. Make sure it doesn't get too warm in summer; you can expect it to be dormant that time of year anyway.
Pet-safe
No, this plant is toxic to pets and small humans.
Sprouts Top Tips
Be careful with moisture levels; too little water will parch the plant while too much can encourage mould growing in the foliage.
To re-flower your cyclamen next year, let it have a summer dormancy period. The soil should not be left wet, give it just enough moisture to not entirely dry out. Trim back any empty stalks to the tuber; if leaves remain, keep them on and keep the plant somewhere bright but out of direct sun, even if they look the worse for wear. Start watering more once new stalks start to grow through.
