Moderate Flowering Toxic to pets

Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum

Cyclamen is a tuberous plant that brightens winter with its elegant flowers featuring reflexed petals in shades of white, pink, and red.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every 4 days
Light

Bright indirect light
Humidity

50–60 %
Temperature

10–18 °C

How to care for your Cyclamen

Everything you need to keep your Cyclamen healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Cyclamen persicum originates from the eastern Mediterranean regions and grows naturally in cool, shaded undergrowth. Its specialty is blooming in winter when most plants are dormant, offering flowers with gracefully reflexed petals for several months. In summer, it goes completely dormant and loses all its foliage, which often alarms novice gardeners. An essential secret: it hates heat and thrives in cool rooms between 12 and 16°C.

Watering your Cyclamen

Every 4 days

Water from below by filling the saucer for 30 minutes then emptying the excess. Never wet the tuber or the crown of the plant.

How to know it needs water

Topsoil dry at the surface
Leaves and stems drooping slightly
Pot feels lighter to the touch

How much light a Cyclamen needs

Bright indirect light

Bright indirect light. Avoid direct sun and heat sources. Prefers cool rooms.

Direct sun tolerated: No direct sun
Orientations that suit it: North, North-east, East, North-west

Humidity and misting

50–60 %

50–60% Do not mist the plant directly. Maintain ambient humidity with a pebble tray if necessary.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 14 days

Fertilize only during the flowering and growing period (October to April). Stop completely when the plant enters summer dormancy.

Recommended feed: Half-dose liquid fertilizer for flowering plants (NPK 15-30-15), high in phosphorus. · 1-2-1

Repotting your Cyclamen

Every 12 months

Use light, well-draining compost. Leave the top of the tuber exposed above the substrate surface. Choose a pot only slightly larger than the tuber.

When: Late summer, as it emerges from dormancy (August–September)
Potting mix: All-purpose potting mix
Mix in: perlite, coco fibre

The tell-tale signs

Tuber almost fills the pot
Roots emerging from the bottom
Plant producing fewer flowers

Pruning your Cyclamen

Remove spent flowers and yellowing leaves as they appear. Gently twist and pull spent stalks at the base to detach them cleanly from the tuber. Do not cut with scissors.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 10 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 3 in the growing season.

3 J
3 F
4 M
5 A
8 M
10 J
10 J
8 A
4 S
4 O
3 N
3 D

Active growth · Days between waterings

Toxicity

The tuber is toxic to dogs and cats. Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and cardiac arrhythmia.

Good to know

Cyclamen naturally goes dormant in summer: it loses all its leaves and its tuber rests before starting again in autumn.
In the language of flowers, Cyclamen symbolizes sincerity and lasting tenderness.

Frequently asked questions about the Cyclamen

How do you care for a Cyclamen?

Water it every 4 days. Give it bright indirect light. Ideal humidity: 50–60 %. Ideal temperature: 10–18 °C. Water from below by filling the saucer for 30 minutes then emptying the excess. Never wet the tuber or the crown of the plant.

How often should you water a Cyclamen?

Every 4 days Water from below by filling the saucer for 30 minutes then emptying the excess. Never wet the tuber or the crown of the plant. How to know it needs water : Topsoil dry at the surface ; Leaves and stems drooping slightly ; Pot feels lighter to the touch.

How much light does a Cyclamen need?

Bright indirect light Bright indirect light. Avoid direct sun and heat sources. Prefers cool rooms. No direct sun

Is the Cyclamen toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. The tuber is toxic to dogs and cats. Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and cardiac arrhythmia. Keep it out of reach of your pets and call a vet if any is swallowed.

Why are my Cyclamen leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Cyclamen?

Repot every 12 months, ideally in late summer, as it emerges from dormancy (august–september). Use light, well-draining compost. Leave the top of the tuber exposed above the substrate surface. Choose a pot only slightly larger than the tuber.