Persian cyclamen - growing and care
Content:
Persian cyclamen since its inception has become a favorite among indoor plants. It is actively used for landscaping both large rooms and small rooms. It gained popularity thanks to its bright flowers blooming in early autumn. Although caring for a flower does not require the creation of special conditions and the fulfillment of special requirements, there are still subtleties in this matter.
Persian cyclamen - what is this flower
Persian cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is a tuberous plant from the Primrose family. In another way, it is called dryak or alpine violet.
The birthplace of cyclamen is North Africa and Asia Minor. In natural conditions, it grows in the highland forests of Turkey. He began to gain his popularity in the middle of the 19th century. Active selection was carried out in the UK and the Netherlands. Today, there are mainly hybrids of Dutch and English breeders on the market. The most popular varieties are those with red, pink, white and orange flowers.
Cyclamen Persian
It is a herbaceous plant with a spherical or elongated egg-shaped tuber. The diameter of the tuber can reach 15 cm. The roots of the plant are located in the lower part of the tuber, and in the upper part there are growth points.
The flower has dark green or reddish leaves with pronounced silvery veins. Heart-shaped leaves on long petioles. The lower part of the leaf is green, the upper one can have a deep saturated green color with a reddish tint. The leaf diameter usually reaches 13-14 cm.
The flowers resemble the wings of butterflies - they are white, red, with a pink tint, with a characteristic fringe around the edges.
How to care for Persian cyclamen at home
Cyclamen is a plant with a winter flowering period. During the summer heat, it is dormant, shedding leaves, and with the onset of a moderate temperature in mid-September, it begins to come to life, dissolving new leaves and throwing flowers on long peduncles.
Cyclamen flowers
Illumination and temperature conditions
Home flower maintenance requires a relatively cool and at the same time sufficiently lit room. It is recommended to purchase a new flower in the spring, after the end of the flowering period, or at the beginning of September during its active growing season. It is recommended to place it on a windowsill on the east or west side, where there is enough light at a moderate temperature.
The room temperature should be between 13-16 degrees. It is not recommended to direct direct sunlight to the cyclamen, place the pot with it above the radiator or near the fireplace.
Watering rules and humidity
Another condition for the successful cultivation of cyclamen, along with coolness, is moist air and moderate watering. It is recommended to maintain humidity in the room by installing a container with water, but it is not recommended to spray a flower from a spray bottle.
Cyclamen root system
It is recommended to water the flower from below - lowering the planter for 10-15 minutes in warm water. After that, leave the plant for 25-30 minutes so that the excess water drains off.
Top dressing and soil quality
Top dressing is carried out with complex preparations during the active growing season from early autumn to mid-May. The recommended frequency is one feeding for 2-3 weeks.
More frequent and active use of drugs will not give the desired effect - the bulk of the nutrients will be directed to the formation of new leaves, not flowers.
Persian cyclamen, the care of which requires maintaining a special acidic balance of the soil, prefers a slightly acidic environment. This point must be taken into account when transplanting and propagating a plant.
Flower container size
The flower tuber can grow up to 13-14 cm, therefore it is recommended to pick up a pot with a diameter of 20-25 cm for planting.The depth of the pot should be at least 15 cm.
Pruning and replanting
Dry leaves and flowers are usually removed after the end of the flowering period. It is also recommended to remove the leaves before the start of the growing season.
The transplant is carried out in late August - early September. Before transplanting, the pots are soaked in water so that the soil is thoroughly wet. The transplant is recommended to be done in a pots with a diameter of 2-3 cm larger than the previous one.
Cyclamen transplant
Features of flowering plants
The Persian cyclamen, like other flowering plants, chooses a certain time for active growth and flowering, which alternates with periods of rest.
The flowers of the plant are located on a curved peduncle. The petals form a bud up to 5 cm in diameter. This is one of the largest buds in cyclamen. By the type of petals, simple, double and fringed varieties are distinguished.
Terry flowers
The period of revitalization of the flower begins in late August - early September. During this period, it is recommended to replace the top layer of soil in the pot or transplant the flower into a larger pot.
From the beginning of September, it is recommended to start regular watering of the flower with top dressing.
Flower reproduction methods
You can also grow a home flower yourself - by taking seeds or a piece of a tuber for breeding. This plant, subject to all conditions, gives good seed germination and excellent results when dividing the tuber.
Seed propagation
The seeds are harvested after the end of flowering, when a capsule is formed in the place of the flower. The seeds are soaked in warm water for 24 hours. After that, they are planted in a pot with a substrate. After 4-8 weeks, shoots appear, when the plant reaches the age of 2-3 true leaves, it is transplanted into a pot.
Reproduction by division
Reproduction by dividing the tuber is done by analogy with the propagation of potatoes with eyes.
Before the start of the growing season, when transplanting 2 year old plants, one growth point is cut off. It fits in a seedling container or shallow pot. It is better to choose a special soil for seedlings.
When propagating by dividing the tuber, you need to be careful and control watering - waterlogging quickly leads to decay.
Growing problems, diseases and pests
Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, when growing in the house, problems often arise that do not allow growing a normal plant. Most of the difficulties are associated with the conditions of keeping the flower, although there are cases when it is necessary to use chemicals to treat diseases and destroy pests.
Healthy Cyclamen Leaves
It is possible to detect that something is wrong with a color by its appearance.Most often, these signs can be:
- Yellow leaves with normal flowers - it is necessary to increase the humidity and reduce the temperature in the room to 15-17 degrees. Change watering tactics.
- The death of a plant, a sharp wilting of leaves and flowers - this indicates excess moisture, it is necessary to reduce the amount of watering, to prevent moisture from getting on the tuber and leaves.
- Flowering period too short - lower temperature, remove away from direct sunlight.
- Deformed leaf plate, too small leaves - defeat by a cyclamen mite, treatment with acaricide is necessary.
- Black leg disease, fungal lesions, vascular wilting - it is necessary to disinfect the soil, create an optimal temperature regime, and treat it with a systemic fungicide.
As you can see, you need to take care of the Persian cyclamen thoughtfully and carefully. Knowing all the subtleties of the content in the future, there will be no big work in order to get a healthy, abundantly flowering plant.
