The Cyclamen is a flowering plant, which is characterized by being one of the so-called winter flowers, due to the environments where it grows. In addition, it is widely used in the decoration of various environments or cultivated in homes near the sea. If you want to know more about this plant, we invite you to continue reading this article.
The Cyclamen
It is a plant with very beautiful tuberous flowers of the Primulaceae, which are native to the forest regions of the Mediterranean and can be found in the wild at the foot of the trees. It can also be mentioned that it is one of the few flowering plants that bloom in the cold months. This makes it highly valued in the world of gardening as a decorative flower for greenhouses. Winter cyclamen flowers can be kept for several months with proper care, are easy to grow, both in the ground and in pots, and prefer shady locations.
flower characteristics
As can be seen in the previous paragraph, the main characteristic of the cyclamen is that it is a tuber-like plant. That is, it does not develop a woody part because it has a tuber that is its underground stem, where the plant accumulates all its nutrient reserves. The life cycle of the cyclamen plant consists of dormancy in hot, dry climates. He returns to work with the drop in temperatures and the beginning of the rains.
It is not an annual and can last for several years with proper care and conditions. The production of the commercial crop is carried out throughout the year, being its best time during the cold or winter season. This plant can reach a maximum of 30 to 40 centimeters in height. But they usually stay below this height, which is why they are considered dwarf plants. The characteristics of its pieces are the following:
First, it has an underground trunk in the form of a thick tuber, dark in color, round and flattened. On the other hand, the leaves are evergreen, succulent, heart-shaped with a characteristic long petiole. They are deep dark green with silver spots. Another property is related to the bloom itself, which are hermaphroditic with five wavy petals, with a velvety structure and can have different colors, white, pink, magenta and red. Flowering takes place between autumn and spring. Finally, the fruits are capsules that take 5 months to mature.
Cyclamen care and cultivation
In most cases, growing these flowering plants is not that difficult. You could put a little more effort into getting them to bloom again. Although the wild plant can live for 4-5 years and it blooms continuously every year and gives more and more flowers in the winter season. For cultivation, it is preferred to acquire the plant with abundant flower buds and make sure that its leaves are very fleshy and healthy. Also, cyclamen can reproduce by sowing seeds or dividing the tuber. If you want a specific strain, it's best to do it using the latest technique.
To understand a little the cultivation by seeds, we can say that it is carried out in summer, taking care to distribute them as evenly as possible in parallel rows as a substrate for them. Due to the small size of the seeds, they should be gently pushed under the substrate with a flat piece of wood. In addition, the first watering should dilute a broad-spectrum fungicide in the water as a preventive treatment against fungi.
In turn, the seedbed, previously covered with transparent plastic paper, should be placed in a shady and humid place with a temperature of about 20 ° C. Approximately one month, the seeds will germinate, then the plastic cover is removed and gradually the temperature is increased. light contribution to the plant and the temperature drops to 18 ° C with good ventilation. When the new plants have grown large enough and can be easily handled, they can be transplanted, taking great care not to damage the tuber of the plant, or any part of it.
On the other hand, describing a little about the division of the tuber, it can be emphasized that this element of the plant is rounded and flattened, leaves and flowers emerge from it right at the top in a concave shape, and the root system emerges from the convex bottom. Also, as is known, it can be divided for reproduction by cutting it with a sharp, previously disinfected knife. When pruning, care must be taken that each part contains at least two buds. It is usually divided into two parts and each part is transplanted into individual pots.
Location
Site selection is the key to successful cultivation, which should be at a temperature below 15°C. In addition, you should ensure that it is sufficiently lit, but not in direct sunlight. Following the same idea, it is recommended to ventilate the room and turn off the heating from time to time. Residents of regions where the winter is not too severe are recommended to move them outdoors, under the ice and exposed to cold wind at night.
Irrigation
Depending on the time of year, a different procedure must be carried out. Between autumn and winter, as soon as the first buds appear, it should be watered so that the substrate keeps it moist, without puddles. A convenient method is to place the water in the saucer at the bottom of the pot to allow the plant to absorb it for about 20 to 30 minutes, then let the excess water drain away. You should always be careful that the plant is not too wet, as this can cause the tuber to rot.
On the other hand, during the spring months, it should be considered that the vegetative activity begins to slow down until the arrival of summer, when it stops completely in summer. For this reason, watering should be done frequently, monitoring excess moisture. Already in the summer, when the leaves dry up and are removed, plus the plant is moved to a cool shaded place, watering should be constant, but only near the tuber. This point is important, it is not necessary to wet the plant, especially the central part. Because a considerable amount of liquid can generate mold or fungus.
Substrate for Cyclamen
In this section, it is recommended that the ideal substrate is a fresh and well-drained soil with a pH of 6. A mixture of peat, perlite and coconut moss is suitable. This mixture results in a medium particle size, which provides the plant with a substrate with materials that naturally contain active biological components, which helps the plant remain disease-free, as well as stimulates healthy growth.
Pruning
In fact, the cyclamen is not pruned. What could be related to this activity is the fact that the basal leaves that are drying must be cut and removed. This prevents them from causing disease due to parasites, fungi or bacteria. Cutting tools must always be disinfected beforehand to avoid possible infections. In addition, it is achieved that the flowering lasts longer if the withered leaves and flowers are completely removed as soon as they are inserted into the bulb. When there is injury to the leaves or petioles, they should be removed and the wounds treated with a suitable wax acquired in the nursery.
Fertilizer
On the other hand, it should be noted that every 15 to 30 days it is recommended to apply liquid fertilizer to the cyclamen. Also, this has to be mixed with irrigation water. Also, liquid fertilizer should contain a higher volume of potassium during the blooming season to increase flower production. In the same way, it is recommended that at the time of its development the volume of nitrogen should be slightly increased to improve the strength of the green parts.
Types of Cyclamen
One of the topics that arouses the most interest in the floral plant is the knowledge of its different varieties, which experts have cataloged among twenty types, grouped into 4 groups, which have common aspects, such as the style of their leaves, flowers and including the tuber itself. Still, they differ on some factors. Therefore, in this article we are going to analyze three of these varieties. To do this, we will detail the most important characteristics of each of them.
Cyclamen persicum
Called cyclamen or Persian or Alpine violet, it is a class of this family of flowers native to the regions of Persia, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan and even the Alps of Europe. In itself, it is one of the most widespread types and with the largest number of varieties. It is currently one of the most used plants in the decoration of gardens and interiors. It has a dark, flat tuber from which petioles and flower stems develop. The leaves it sheds in summer are heart-shaped, deep green on top and red below.
Cyclamen Purpurascens
It is a plant that arises in the mountainous areas of the center and south of the old continent. Due to its origin, it is also known as European cyclamen, which has a globular tubercle, roots and involuntary shoots, which will be responsible for forming the aerial part of the plant. The leaves are basal, petiolate and heart-shaped. Like the previous one, the lower part is reddish and the upper surface is dark green. In addition, it has fragrant, solitary flowers that are supported by very long peduncles. As an interesting fact, it is widely used in medicine for its homeopathic properties.
cyclamen balearicum
It is a tuberous plant characterized by a tuber up to 3 cm in diameter, spherical, smooth and with roots that come from the base. In turn, it is a species that remains green all year round. The leaves can have the same characteristics as the previous ones, that is, they are fleshy, shiny and have a petiole up to 12 cm long. Its white or pink flowers give off a scent and have a calyx of up to 5 cm and an oval-lanceolate shape. The fruit is in spherical capsules. Of course, it should be noted that it is very toxic. However, it has been used as a laxative.
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