With their beauty, cyclamens attract many amateur gardeners and are a frequent decoration of our window sills. It is especially pleasant that the flowering period of these plants falls in autumn and winter, and they delight the eye with their magnificent buds during gloomy autumn and cold winter days.
At present, quite a few different varieties of this plant have been bred, differing in the variety of colors of the flowers - various shades of pink, red, purple and lilac. With all the variety of colors, white cyclamen still remains the standard of beauty and elegance.
Flower description
Cyclamen is a small herbaceous perennial plant with a root in the form of a thickened tuber. Appreciated for its original appearance. Leaflets of a rounded shape or in the form of a heart are decorated with an interesting pattern. Flowers bloom on long peduncles, one on each.
Currently, there are about twenty species of this plant. And if only red and white cyclamen were originally known, now, as a result of selection, a variety of hybrid varieties with corrugated and multi-color frills, two-color, with a border, veins, etc., have been created.
Where does cyclamen come from?
In the wild, the plant is quite widespread. The birthplace of cyclamen are vast areas of the Mediterranean from Spain to Iran. It is also found in Northeast Africa. Some species of this plant can be found in the Krasnodar Territory and in the Crimea.
As indoor plants, mainly a Persian species is grown. The birthplace of Persian cyclamen is considered to be Turkey and the countries of the Middle East. In Europe, as a houseplant, it began to be grown, starting in the eighteenth century. The European species is more common as a garden culture.
Varieties of white cyclamen
White flowers can be found in both Persian and European cyclamen. Often, beginner growers confuse these types of plants. But there are some differences between them that make it possible to distinguish the white Persian cyclamen from its European counterpart.
As a houseplant, European cyclamen is rare. It is more common in vivo in its homeland in the Alpine mountains. That is why it is also commonly called alpine violet. And although it is also called purple or blushing, the predominant shade in the color of this cyclamen is white and pink.
Distinctive features of European cyclamen
There are several signs by which European white cyclamen is easy to distinguish from Persian.
- European varieties do not drop leaves during dormancy. Unlike the "Persians," they simply stop growing.
- In European varieties, leaves and flowers are much smaller, as a result of which the whole plant as a whole is more compact.
- The aroma of a flower is thinner and more pleasant, the lighter its color. Therefore, white cyclamen - European is especially appreciated by flower growers.
- In European cyclamen, the reverse side of the leaves is painted in a soft-violet shade.
- Roots grow throughout the tuber. Plants of this species form many daughter bulbs, due to which they multiply well.
Consider the most famous varieties of this plant with white flowers.
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This species of European cyclamen is cultivated as a garden plant. It blooms in spring. Its delicate white flowers bloom on peduncles up to thirty centimeters high and differ in a rather original structure. Their petals expand sharply at the very base. This species is characterized by very beautiful silver-marble leaves that appear in the fall and winter under the snow.
Cyclamen ivy
His second name is Neapolitan. This species can be found in the mountains and forests of southern Europe and in western Turkey. It is the most unpretentious and frost-resistant, therefore it is considered in Europe the most suitable for cultivation in open ground. But the Russian conditions for him are too harsh, so it is not suitable for our summer cottages.
The leaves of this species can be both rounded and peaked. Their color varies from dark green to bright green. A silver pattern is clearly visible on the leaves. Flowering begins in August and lasts until November.
The flowers of cyclamen ivy have a white or pale pink color with a purple hue at the base. One of the most popular varieties of white Neapolitan cyclamen is "White Veil". Its leaves look like ivy leaves. Bushes grow to a height of twenty-five centimeters. Blossom begins two years after sowing. Its white delicate inflorescences not only delight the eye, but also have a delicate pleasant aroma.
Persian varieties
Most often on our windowsills you can find Persian cyclamen. Currently, breeders have bred a lot of the most diverse varieties of this plant, characterized by incredibly beautiful flowers. Despite the fact that the life of one flower lasts only ten days, the total duration of flowering is six months due to the fact that up to hundreds of flowers bloom on one tuber during the entire flowering period. This period lasts from October to March.
The most famous varieties of Persian cyclamen having white flowers are:
- White cyclamen with a peephole. It differs in large, fringed terry inflorescences of a white color with a pink eye at the base. Outwardly, they resemble beautiful butterflies that adorn the premises from late autumn to late April.
- Cyclamen "White Angel". It has the same lush terry flowers with a fringe, but is absolutely white, without a single speck. It blooms very plentifully. The flowering bush of this species externally really resembles the wings of an angel.
- "Victoria". Another variety with large double flowers. White buds with lush raspberry fringe at the edges leave an unforgettable impression.
- "Charley". Variety with white flowers without fringe. Has a more rigorous and concise look than previous plants. Peduncles in length do not exceed twenty centimeters. It blooms throughout the autumn-winter period, delighting not only with its appearance, but also with a strong exquisite aroma.
All cyclamens, regardless of species, require increased attention and proper care. Consider the basic requirements for the content of the plant.
Features of care at rest
Since the flowering of indoor cyclamen occurs in the cold season, he perceives the temperature increase as a signal of the onset of hot, dry summers, which for cyclamen is a "rest period" when the plant seems to hibernate. Therefore, the plant responds to the content in an excessively warm room by stopping growth and flowering, as well as dropping foliage. This fact must be taken into account in order to avoid problems with the content of cyclamen. The correct alternation of active periods with periods of rest and the creation of suitable conditions for each of them is the key to successful breeding of cyclamen at home.
Temperature and lighting
Proper placement of the flower is an essential part of care. White cyclamen needs suitable lighting. During the period of active flowering, it should be bright, but without access to the plant in direct sunlight. Therefore, it will be optimal to place the flower in partial shade on the eastern and western windows. On the south window, additional shading will have to be provided; on the north, the plant will suffer from a lack of lighting.
In winter, the active period for cyclamen, it is required to maintain the room temperature at a level of ten to fourteen degrees above zero. Summer temperature should not be higher than twenty-five degrees. It is recommended for the summer to make a pot with a plant on a shaded balcony or to dig in the garden in a place protected from the sun.
Watering and humidity
Pour cyclamen with soft, settled water. Its temperature should be two degrees lower than room temperature. A flowering plant is watered in such a way as to prevent either waterlogging or drying out the soil in the pot. If watering is carried out from above, you need to make sure that water does not fall on the buds and tuber, as this can provoke decay of the plant. To avoid this, it is better to use the lower watering - from the pallet. A container with a plant is placed in a pan with water for one to two hours, after which the water is poured so that the roots do not rot.
When flowering gradually stops, the amount of water is reduced. In summer, at rest, a flower is watered very rarely. With the advent of autumn, watering is gradually increasing.
To maintain the humidity required for cyclamen, it is sprayed from time to time until buds appear. After this spraying is stopped to prevent their decay. Indoor air humidity can be increased by placing pots on a pallet filled with wet moss, expanded clay or pebbles.
Fertilizers and soil requirements
With the beginning of the active growth of foliage and until the buds appear, the plant is fed every two weeks with full mineral fertilizer. You should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers, since their overabundance entails rotting of the roots.
Soil for transplanting cyclamens consists of a mixture of sheet soil, peat, humus and sand. The acidity of the soil should not exceed pH6. An increase in acidity leads to the development of various fungal diseases.
Breeding methods
There are several ways to propagate cyclamen at home:
- Dividing the tuber. This method is applied only after the plant has completely blossomed. The bulb is removed from the soil, dried and carefully divided with a knife into several parts. Each part should have at least one kidney and several roots. Parts are well dried, the places of cuts are sprinkled with charcoal. Then they are planted in pots and left in a room with a temperature of fourteen to sixteen degrees. Tubers are regularly watered to prevent waterlogging.
- The seeds. They can be taken from an existing adult plant or purchased in a specialized store. They are planted in a pot with moistened soil at a distance of about three centimeters from each other, and the pot is placed in a dark place or covered with an opaque film. The temperature in the room should be maintained at eighteen degrees. Shoots appear in a month and a half. Six months later, young plants are planted in separate pots. They will begin to bloom only in a year and a half.
- Outlets. So only European cyclamen varieties can be propagated, since Persian rosettes do not appear. Outlets are shoots on tubers. They are also called horns. They are torn from the tuber and planted in moist soil, covered with a bag or a glass jar. The required temperature for rooting is eighteen to twenty-two degrees.
- Leaves. This method is ineffective and is used only for the propagation of European cyclamen. It is better not to cut the sheet, but to tear it off with a small piece of the bulb and place in water until the roots appear. After that, it is planted in moist soil and covered with a glass jar. The escape appears after two to three weeks.
Properly caring for the plant, you can achieve its unique magnificent flowering, which will delight you for a long winter