Cyclamen was previously known more as an industrial crop than as a houseplant. But at home, cyclamen is also often grown recently. Varieties of it, common in home floriculture, are few. There are only two of them: alpine violet (or European cyclamen) and Persian cyclamen.
As a rule, European cyclamen blooms with lilac-pink flowers, which are smaller in size than Persian cyclamen. The plant is characterized by its unpretentiousness to temperature conditions, but for its comfortable growth and flowering it is better to keep it in a cool place. Remember that cyclamen has, as a rule, one growth point, therefore, having damaged it, the plant cannot be saved.
European cyclamen blooms from about the second half of October until spring. The duration of flowering is determined by indoor conditions.
Remember that when cyclamen stops blooming, the leaves begin to fall, and new ones appear in their place. At this time, you need to transplant the plant. The substrate for this is used nutritious and loose, the tuber is lightly sprinkled with earth during transplantation.
In summer, European cyclamen is best placed outside, in the shadow of the garden. However, care must be taken to prevent earthworms or other unwanted pests from entering the pot. For safety, it is fitted with a tight nylon cap.
Many argue that the most moody indoor culture is cyclamen. Caring for him, in fact, does not require special knowledge and requirements. You just have to follow some rules. So, when the European cyclamen blooms, it is better to place it in a well-lit place, but the rays of the sun should not fall on its leaves. Remember that the room should be both bright and at the same time cool. The most successful variant of the location of the plant is a windowsill, which is slightly darkened by a light curtain. As a rule, the temperature is optimal for the European cyclamen to feel comfortable, about 10-14 degrees above zero. If there is a sharp temperature difference in the direction of increase, the plant does not tolerate it well.
You need to water the European cyclamen regularly so that the earth does not dry out, but the water in the pot should not stagnate. Moreover, there are some requirements for water that must be used for irrigation. So, it should be soft, settled, and when watering, it should not fall into the leaf sockets. If there are wilted flowers, they need to be twisted together with yellowed leaves so as not to disturb the sprout zone.
In the period from June to August, the first young leaves appear, and this is a signal that the plant needs to be transplanted into new soil. Moreover, it should have the following composition: humus, peat, sheet land and sand (1: 1: 3: 1). The earth must first be steamed in order to avoid the entry of pathogenic bacteria in the future. Then the flower can be placed on the windowsill.
Remember that European cyclamen is a plant that is used for medicinal purposes. So, an aqueous infusion of cyclamen root is used for menstrual irregularities and also for diseases of the female reproductive system. In addition, its benefits are known in the treatment of headaches, neuralgia, flatulence, liver diseases, various disorders of the intestines, as well as rheumatism and joint pain.
Cyclamen is used in the form of hot tinctures on water, as well as alcohol tinctures. Also, during the treatment of sinusitis and frontitis, plant juice is used, which is instilled into the nose according to a certain scheme.
Remember that the plant is poisonous, therefore, before using it for medicinal purposes, it is necessary to consult a specialist.