Cyclamen hederifolium

''Cyclamen hederifolium'', the ivy-leaved cyclamen or sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. This widespread cyclamen species is widely cultivated and among the most hardy and vigorous in oceanic climates. It is native to woodland, shrubland, and rocky areas in the Mediterranean region from southern France to western Turkey and on Mediterranean islands, and naturalized farther north in Europe and in the Pacific Northwest.

Names

The species name ''hederifolium'' comes from the Latin ''hedera'' (ivy) and ''folium'' (leaf), because of the shape and patterning of the leaves. The older species name, ''neapolitanum'', refers to Naples, where the species grows.

Description

''Cyclamen hederifolium'' is a tuberous perennial that blooms and sprouts leaves in autumn, grows through the winter, and goes dormant before summer, when the seed capsules ripen and open.

Tuber

The tuber is round-flattened and produces roots from the top and sides, leaving the base bare. In the florist's cyclamen (''Cyclamen persicum''), roots come from the bottom, leaving the top and sides bare.

The tuber becomes larger with age; older specimens commonly become more than across. In other species, tubers do not grow as large; ''Cyclamen coum'' usually does not reach more than across.

Leaves and flowers grow from buds on the exposed upper surface of the tuber

Leaves

The leaves are variably shaped and colored. Depending on the specimen, leaf shape varies from heart-shaped to long and arrow-shaped, usually with 2-3 angled lobes on each side, resembling the juvenile leaves of ivy (''Hedera''). Leaf color varies from all-green to all-silver, but the most common is a Christmas tree or hastate pattern in silver or pewter and various shades of green.

The petiole and flower stalks of ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' grow outwards and then up, forming an "elbow". Plants in narrow pots often have a ring of leaves around the outside of the pot. From Latin, 'hederifolium' translates to Ivy-like leaves. In the closely related ''Cyclamen africanum'', stalks grow up from the tuber without a bend near the base.

Image:Cyclamen hederifolium Album leaf.jpg, typical leaves
Image:Cyclamen hederifolium silver leaf.jpg, an all-silver leaf form
Image:Cyclamen hederifolium leaves Zakynthos.jpg, leaves collected on Zakynthos, showing range of leaf shapes
File:Blad van Cyclamen hederifolium. Locatie, Tuinreservaat Jonkervallei 01.jpg, Leaf ''Cyclamen hederifolium''.
File:Prachtig nieuw blad van Cyclamen hederifolium tussen herfstbladeren van bomen 02.jpg, New leaf among fallen autumn leaf.

Flowers

The flowers bloom from late summer to autumn and have 5 petals, usually pink, purple, or white with a streaky magenta V-shaped marking on the nose, but sometimes pure white with no markings.

The edges of the petals near the nose of the flower are curved outwards into strong auricles. These are not present in some other species, such as ''Cyclamen persicum''. The flowers are occasionally fragrant. The shape of the flower varies from long and thin to short and squat.

Image:Cyclamen hederifolium prominent auricles.jpg, flowers with particularly prominent auricles
Image:Cyclamen hederifolium var. confusum.jpg, short flowers with wide noses
Image:Kew Gardens - London - September 2008 (2954281028).jpg, underside of auricles

Fruit

After fertilization, the flower stem coils tightly, starting at the end, and rests above the tuber. Seeds are amber, held in a round pod, which opens by 5-10 flaps at maturity.

Image:Cyclamen flower stalk coiling.jpg, coiling flower stalk
Image:Cyclamen hederifolium pods & seeds.jpg, Pods and exposed tubers

Cultivation

''Cyclamen hederifolium'' is usually listed as the hardiest species of cyclamen. In oceanic climates, it self-seeds abundantly and will crowd out less vigorous species such as ''Cyclamen coum'' if the two are planted together. In cold continental climates such as Calgary, Alberta, where '' Cyclamen purpurascens'' grows well, it may not survive. DavesGarden.com lists it as hardy to zone 5a (), although hardiness is dependent on presence of snow cover.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017).

Subdivisions

Varieties and forms

There are two varieties or subspecies (''hederifolium'' and ''confusum''), and var. ''hederifolium'' has two named forms, differentiated by leaf and flower characteristics.

* ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' var. ''hederifolium'' — leaves with well defined markings
** ''C. hederifolium'' var. ''hederifolium'' forma ''hederifolium'' — pink or purple flowers with darker markings at the base of the petals
** ''C. hederifolium'' var. ''hederifolium'' forma ''albiflorum'' — white flowers, sometimes with pale pink throat — this form has also won the RHS AGM
* ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' var. ''confusum'' — fleshier leaves with poorly defined markings

The variety ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' var. ''poli'', with long sagittate (arrowhead-shaped) leaves, is listed by the Pacific Bulb Society.

Image:Cyclamen Hederifolium.jpg, ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' var. ''hederifolium'' forma ''hederifolium'' (purple flowers)
Image:Cyclamen hederifolium album002.jpg, ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' var. ''hederifolium'' forma ''albiflorum'' (all-white flowers)

''Cyclamen hederifolium'' var. ''confusum'' (''C. confusum'')

In chromosome count, var. ''confusum'' is tetraploid, while var. ''hederifolium'' is diploid.

Recently var. ''confusum'' has been elevated to the level of species as ''Cyclamen confusum'', although this is not reflected on GRIN.

Cultivars

There are a number of cultivated varieties of ''Cyclamen hederifolium''.

''Cyclamen hederifolium'' 'Amaze me', a cultivar with dark-pink flowers, is early blooming

''Cyclamen hederifolium'' 'Ruby Glow' has particularly deep all-magenta flowers.

''Cyclamen hederifolium'' 'Stargazer' has upward-facing flowers.''Cyclamen hederifolium'' 'Stargazer'
GAP photos.

References

Notes

Sources

Cyclamen: a guide for gardeners, horticulturists, and botanists
by C. Grey-Wilson (Google Books)

External links

Pacific Bulb SocietyCalPhotos

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hederifolium