Man, oh man! We're not even having a typically cold-as-a-witch's-butt Midwestern winter here (knock on wood) and all the gray skies and gloom have still got me down.
So when I went to Trader Joe's the other day, I picked up a vivid pink Cyclamen to brighten up my world.
BTW, have you tried their frozen chocolate covered banana slices??? To. Die. For.
I actually went back yesterday to pick up another case few boxes of them just because I liked them so much. And grabbed a couple more Cyclamen while I was at it.
Cyclamen are on of my favorite winter flowering indoor plants. They're cheerful and happy and perky (which are pretty much all basically the same thing). And they will bloom for a good 6-8 weeks as long as you take care of them.
Cyclamen are readily available in grocery stores and garden centers this time of year and they are cheap (always a good thing in my book) - $2.99 at Trader Joe's (they buy their Cyclamens from Canada. Not quite grown in the good old USA, but close, Eh?).
And look at these leaves!!! You gotta love the variegated leaves.
Now there are two types of Cyclamens out there - the hardy version which can be planted outside and the indoor/grocery store version.
I am talking about the indoor version here, Cyclamen persicum or more commonly called florist's cyclamen.
Cyclamen Care
- Prefer bright, indirect sunlight and a cooler location. Ideally, they love a place that is 50-60 degrees F, but since you probably don't live in that cold of a house, either a windowsill or a chillier location in the house will do.
- Water when dry to the touch, but be careful not to over-water. Once a week, I place them in a shallow dish and let the plants "suck up" water through the roots. Watering from above can cause rot.
- To keep plants re-blooming, cut spent flowers close to the base.
- When the plants are done blooming you can just toss them and buy new next year. Or even better, help them to return and bloom again next year.
How To Over-Summer Your Cyclamen
- Cyclamen are actually a type of bulb. In the spring, after the plant is done flowering and the foliage has turned yellow and has died off, stop watering. You have my permission to just let the plant dry out.
- Place pot in a cool dry place and pretty much forget about it until Labor Day.
- In early fall, soak the pot thoroughly for it's first watering. After that, water as normal.
- You should see new growth and before you know it you will be knee deep in snow with a blooming Cyclamen to keep you company.
Warning: Cyclamen can be toxic to pets if ingested.
You know your pet better than I do, so if they are prone to eating plants either keep the plants away from them or just skip growing this one.
Have you grown Cyclamen before? What is your favorite color?
Other gardening tips you may enjoy:
How To Force Flowering Branches Indoors
Early Spring Flowers That Can Take The Chill
Black Eyed Susan Vines aka Heaven On Earth
Diane
Oh how pretty, Pam! Just the springy lift I need, no pun. My attempts at keeping green and flowering alive this winter have been miserable. My poinsettia 'blooms' slowly shriveled and dried. My amaryllis bulb sent up it's little tongue, then quit. My Christmas cactus keeps dropping its buds. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH LESS-THAN-GREEN-THUMB TROUBLES. Two were purchased at Target, one at Fleetfarm. Maybe I'll try Home Depot for a cyclamen. I will follow your very easy-care directions. Need some color here - MN has decided to gift us with many, many frigid days and ice-covered roads, bumper-car style.
Jan
Cyclamen blooms last a long time. I love all the colors but I think the red flowers are my favorite.
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage
I love Trader Joe's for the wonderful unique flowers they have. Your Cyclamen are gorgeous
and those bananas sound yummy too. Have a great week.
xoxo
Kris
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
I love cyclamen and always forget about how pretty they are in the winter. I didn't realize that you could bring them back again the next winter, just by ignoring them for months...I am good at that.
Thanks for sharing! Pinning!
Stephanie C.
Love the hobnail pot! Cyclamen are 1 of my favorite houseplants. I've been married for 40 years & I think there has always been at least 1 cyclamen in the house at all times. Even if there aren't any flowers, the heart shaped leaves are so pretty.
Brenda Kula-Pruitt
Well, I love the red of course! Next time I go to Trader Joes's I'll have to take a look myself. And also at the chocolate-covered banana slices!
Brenda
taryterre
Love the leaves and pretty Cyclamen. Purple would be my favorite color, though your pink and red are gorgeous.
Vickie
I like the combination of colors you've put together, Pam, and I know I could find a few spots in our house that are the 60 degrees they favor. Now if only I had a Trader Joe's that was less than 4 hours away! I'm just going to enjoy your pretty photos of them....and think about chocolate covered bananas. Yum!
Amy
I love these flowers, but do not have much of a green thumb when it comes to keeping them alive. Them and violets... Any'whoo I am going to give cyclamens a shot again. I love their leaves. I think the ones that are pink, pinker the better, are my fave. Love your blog. Toodle'ooo
Angie Rose
I definitely need this right now Pam! I just purchased some cyclamen, and I'm looking to keep them happy and healthy 🙂 We would love to have you share this over at this week's Dishing It and Digging It party! Please feel free to join http://www.angiethefreckledrose.com/dishing-it-digging-it-132/
FLORENCE L SALMER
It is really warm here too...like 70 degrees in January. Winter is one of my fave seasons so I'm not liking this weather at all. I haven't even put on my winter coat once this season.
So, back to the cyclamen...they are so pretty! It's nice to know they are fairly easy to grow. I won't let my hubby buy poinsettias at Christmas b/c they just don't last long. I'm trying to keep a creeping jenny alive right now, but it doesn't particularly like my atmosphere I guess. Interesting post! Pinned.