Essential Earthman "Minor" Bulbs_Major Joys
Naples cyclamen-Mitchell speaks of growing cyclamen outdoors
overwintering with such nice fresh leaves.
Intrigued I googled up [Naples cyclamen] .
Came up with this...
In Europe, one finds in a state wild the Cyclamen europaeum,
characteristic of the flora of the alpine valleys,
and the cyclamen of Naples (Cyclamen hederifolium).
Be thankful for Latin Names. And the internet.
Apparently C. hederifolium is quite hardy even to -19 degrees F.
Mitchell states that an older corm spreads and fattens and can
produce a hundred flowers. With 50 corms in a few years he had quite a showing.
He does not say how many years.
I would never have imagined that I might possibly grow cyclamen here in zone 5,
out in the garden.
I do not trust that the leaves would do well for very late into this cold harsh winter.
Mitchell lived in a rather mild climate in Washington compared to more northerly
states. But even so if it would do as the hellebore,berginia, or heuchera and look nice until the winter finally covers in snow or bedraggles, then it might be worth the effort.
Does anyone grow this plant out in the garden?
Garden Blogger's Book Club May Dreams Garden
overwintering with such nice fresh leaves.
Intrigued I googled up [Naples cyclamen] .
Came up with this...
In Europe, one finds in a state wild the Cyclamen europaeum,
characteristic of the flora of the alpine valleys,
and the cyclamen of Naples (Cyclamen hederifolium).
Be thankful for Latin Names. And the internet.
Apparently C. hederifolium is quite hardy even to -19 degrees F.
Mitchell states that an older corm spreads and fattens and can
produce a hundred flowers. With 50 corms in a few years he had quite a showing.
He does not say how many years.
I would never have imagined that I might possibly grow cyclamen here in zone 5,
out in the garden.
I do not trust that the leaves would do well for very late into this cold harsh winter.
Mitchell lived in a rather mild climate in Washington compared to more northerly
states. But even so if it would do as the hellebore,berginia, or heuchera and look nice until the winter finally covers in snow or bedraggles, then it might be worth the effort.
Does anyone grow this plant out in the garden?
Garden Blogger's Book Club May Dreams Garden
posted by Gloria at 8:45 PM
5 Comments:
I haven't tried cyclamen, but have a couple of very nice hellebores that have done quite well for several years. They are on the northside of the house. I wonder if it is just a matter of finding a good "microclimate" in the garden for us in Zone 5 and colder?
Hello Carol, you may be right about the micro-climates helping.
I grow Hellebore in a rather dry dappled shade area facing south so that there is more sun in winter.
It does well there but took a couple of years to establish a nice clump. The leaves stay dark and pretty for a long time but have become ragged around bloom time.So I just cut the bad leaves off. It is not long before fresh new ones grow. Same with the Heuchera and Bergenia. If The Cyclamen behave the same way I would like to try them as ground cover in a spot along a fence that has a woodland edge feel to it.But I can not find anyone that grows cyclamen in this area. I could just wing it and see what happens...Gloria
I have been growing a cyclamen in my garden for a couple of years now. I picked the hardiest one listed at Seneca Hill Perennials, Cyclamen purpurascens. These cyclamen are not the florist kind. They are smaller and hardier. Zone 5 is considered the upper limit. So far, so good.
When we lived in the Western suburbs of Chicago I grew Cyclamen coum in dryish shade under the canopy of taller deciduous shrubs. My bulbs came via Nancy Goodwin at Montrose Nursery, which no longer exists, but I think Tony Avent has been propogating them at Plant Delights Nursery.
http://www.plantdelights.com/
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Thank you for the words of advise and recommendation.Plants that bloom out of the average range and have foliage that endures lure me into zone denial at times.
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