How to Grow Cyclamen? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Cyclamen, also known as Persian violet, rabbit ear flower, rabbit flower, yipin crown, bonfire flower, and fan-petal lotus, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Primulaceae family, Cyclamen genus. It is a commonly grown ornamental flower, suitable for indoor pots, and in winter requires greenhouse cultivation. Below, the editor will introduce the cultivation methods for cyclamen!
Growth Habits of Cyclamen
Cyclamen prefers warmth and fears intense heat. It grows best in cool environments and in fertile, sandy loam rich in humus. It is relatively cold-tolerant and can withstand low temperatures of 0°C without freezing damage.
Its growing season runs from autumn to the spring of the following year, with semi-dormancy in summer. The suitable growing temperature in winter is between 12--16°C, and when promoting flowering it should not exceed 18--22°C. Below 0°C the plant will enter dormancy, and above 35°C the plant is prone to rot and death. In winter it can tolerate low temperatures, but below 5°C growth slows, flower color becomes dull, and flowering is reduced.
Supplementing carbon dioxide gas in winter can promote growth and flowering. During the growing period, it requires a humid atmosphere and sufficient sunlight.
Propagation Methods of Cyclamen
The main propagation methods for cyclamen are seed propagation, tuber division propagation, and tissue culture propagation. Let's take a look at the propagation methods for cyclamen!
1. Seed propagation
Seed propagation is one of the commonly used methods for propagating cyclamen. Cyclamen seeds can only be obtained after artificial pollination. The seeds generally mature in May and should be harvested promptly. Cyclamen seeds are relatively large, with a thousand-grain weight of about 10g, and a germination rate of generally 85%--95%. To promote seed germination, seeds can be soaked before sowing to accelerate germination: soak in cold water for 24h or in 30°C warm water for 2--3h, then wash off the sticky substance on the seed surface, wrap in a wet cloth to accelerate germination, maintaining a temperature of 25°C for 1--2d. Once the seeds show slight signs of sprouting, they can be taken out and sown. Sowing time is generally in September--October, and ordinary flower pots can be used for sowing.
The sowing soil should ideally be sandy loam rich in humus, and can only be used after being finely sieved. When sowing, first place the soil in the pot, water thoroughly with a watering can, and after the water has completely drained, immediately sow the seeds in the pot at a spacing of 1--1.5cm, cover with 0.5cm of soil, and cover with glass or plastic film to retain moisture, placing in a semi-shaded spot at 20--22°C. When the pot soil is slightly dry, use the bottom-soaking method to soak thoroughly, keeping the pot soil consistently moist. Under normal conditions, seedlings will emerge in about 20d. When the seedling leaves have fully unfolded, the first transplanting can be carried out. For transplanting, ordinary flower pots can still be used, with the same soil as for sowing. The seedling spacing should be about 3cm. After transplanting, immediately water thoroughly with a watering can. Afterwards, simply keep the seedling pots moist.
When the seedlings have grown 3 leaves and the small tubers have reached 5--6mm in diameter, they should be promptly transplanted into pots. Small pots with a 9cm diameter can be used for single-plant transplanting.
The pot soil should be sieved and mixed in the ratio of 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts garden soil, 5 parts fine yellow sand, and 1 part decomposed manure powder. When transplanting, keep as much of the small soil ball as possible, and make it level with the soil surface. After transplanting, water thoroughly and place in a sunny spot indoors. After the seedlings recover growth, water and fertilize promptly. Generally, they will bloom by the winter of the following year.
2. Tuber division propagation
Cyclamen tubers cannot naturally produce offsets, so they cannot be propagated by division like general bulbous flowers. Instead, artificial cutting propagation is required. Generally, in late August when the tuber is about to sprout, cut the tuber longitudinally from the top into several pieces, each piece should have a bud eye. Coat the cut surfaces with plant ash, let them dry slightly, then plant them separately in flower pots. With careful management, they will soon develop leaves and bloom.
3. Tissue culture propagation
For cyclamen tissue culture propagation, flower stamens, tubers, leaves, young stems, etc. can be used as explants, generally collected from one- or two-year-old young plants, among which tubers as explants are the easiest to induce seedling formation. When using tubers as explants, MS medium can be selected, with MS+3mg/L 6-BA+1mg/L NAA as the induction medium, 1/2MS+0.3mg/L NAA as the rooting medium, and MS+3mg/L 6-BA+0.4mg/L NAA as the subculture medium.
Cultivation Methods of Cyclamen
The dormant tubers of cyclamen generally begin to sprout new shoots from late August to mid-September, at which time the pot soil should be replaced promptly. The culture soil should be mixed in the ratio of 3 parts leaf mold, 4 parts fine yellow sand, 2 parts garden soil, and 1 part decomposed dry manure powder. When repotting, the tuber should retain only part of the old soil. Planting should not be too deep; generally, the top 1/3 of the tuber being exposed above the soil surface is appropriate. After initial planting, the pot soil should not be too wet; slight moisture is sufficient. Afterwards, according to the plant's sprouting condition, gradually increase watering and provide sufficient sunlight. After the leaves have grown, keep the pot soil consistently moist. At the same time, apply a dilute decomposed liquid fertilizer once a week until flowering begins, then stop fertilizing. When fertilizing and watering, avoid submerging the top of the tuber, otherwise the apical bud is prone to rot. After each fertilization, rinse with clean water once.
Adult cyclamen tubers generally begin to bloom by early December, and reach peak flowering in February and March of the following year. To extend the flowering period, they can be placed in a cooler location after flowering. Afterwards, as the external temperature rises, flowering gradually decreases by May, but late-flowering varieties can still bloom until June. Because summers in northern regions are relatively cool, as long as ventilation, shading, and other conditions are provided, some varieties can also bloom in summer. However, most begin to lose leaves after June, at which point watering should be gradually reduced, keeping the pot soil slightly dry.
By July, they enter the dormant period. During dormancy, the indoor area must be well-ventilated, maintaining a cool environment. The maximum temperature must not exceed 30°C, and watering should be reduced, especially avoiding rain exposure.
Old cyclamen tubers bloom later each year, but produce more flowers, with a single bloom reaching over 50 flowers at most. After blooming for 4 years, old tubers gradually age, the number of flowers greatly decreases, and they lose cultivation value. The tubers also become prone to rot and should be replaced promptly.
Management and Care of Cyclamen
When cultivating, the soil should be loose. A culture soil of 2 parts leaf mold, 1 part garden soil, and a small amount of superphosphate can be used. Sun-dried, crushed river mud can also be used, or a culture soil of 2 parts peat and 1 part perlite. The culture soil needs fumigation and disinfection. When repotting, gradually increase the pot size according to the plant's size; do not directly use a large pot to cultivate small seedlings. Planting should be shallow. When potting or repotting large seedlings, 2/3--1/2 of the tuber should be above the soil surface to prevent the tuber from rotting from moisture in the soil. Avoid applying concentrated fertilizer, as concentrated fertilizer can damage the roots. Top-dressing can be applied about 3 times per month. Before fertilizing, loosen the soil. Choose sunny days for top-dressing. Fertilizer should not be applied from the top of the plant but from the side. After fertilizing, spray water to rinse. The management and care of cyclamen can be roughly divided into 5 stages:
1. Seedling stage: When the first leaf has fully grown and true leaves first appear, transplanting should be carried out. When seedlings have 3--4 leaves, they can be planted in flower pots with a diameter of 10cm. Afterwards, as the plant grows, replace with larger pots. The repotting time should not be later than June. If the seedlings are small, they can be left in small pots to spend the summer. Seedlings need shading. In hot weather, frequently loosen the soil, weed, water, and fertilize.
2. Summer seedling maintenance stage: Summer temperatures are high, which is extremely unfavorable for cyclamen growth. Cooling equipment should be used to lower the ambient temperature so they can safely pass the summer. To avoid high temperatures, use two layers of shade netting for shading, control watering, and stop fertilizing.
3. First-year flowering stage: After autumn, growth resumes. Gradually increase watering and apply dilute fertilizer. In mid-October, place in a sunny spot. The greenhouse air should be humid. Fertilize 2--3 times per month. From mid-December to early February, generally no fertilization is needed, but in higher-temperature environments, fertilization need not stop. Generally, flowering begins in November.
4. Summer tuber dormancy stage: After May, leaves gradually turn yellow. Gradually stop watering to induce dormancy. After the leaves have completely withered, place in a low-temperature, ventilated environment so the tuber can safely pass the summer. Generally, place the pot in a cool, rain-sheltered spot.
5. Second-year flowering stage: After the hot summer, water lightly to revive the tuber and promote sprouting. After sprouting, repot with new culture soil and remove rotten roots. Maintain in a greenhouse, and it can bloom around December. After flowering, it again enters the summer tuber dormancy period. Newly propagated seedlings generally begin to bloom in November. If during the bud stage the temperature is kept at 15°C--20°C, spraying 100mg/L gibberellin on the buds and peduncles can promote peduncle elongation and accelerate flowering.