Cyclamen coum

Cyclamen coum (also known as Winter Cyclamen) does not appear until winter in most climates, its heart-shaped to rounded leaves of dark green patterned with silver appearing at the same time as its small, butterfly-shaped blooms. The flowers are irrepressibly bright in the bleak winter landscape, and though they reach only 4 inches high on dark brown stems, they create quite an impact. Expect them to last into early spring, welcoming another season of growth to your garden.

Just 2 to 4 inches high, Cyclamen coum will spread, over time, into a good-sized clump up to a foot wide. Best of all, it scatters viable seed every year, so you are likely to wind up with a glorious colony of winter color where once you had just a few widely-spaced plants! The leaves are as interesting and attractive as the blooms, but part of the fun of this bulb is seeing what shade of pink yours will turn out to be. They run the spectrum, and all shades are lovely!

Cyclamen coum is found along the Black Sea in coniferous forests and the undergrowth of trees and shrubs. Quite tolerant of weather extremes, it appreciates fertile soil to get it started. After that, feeding this plant will only make it more leafy, and may reduce its bloom potential. All you really need to do, once your Cyclamen is established, is mulch it well in summer to prevent the tuber from drying out completely.

The Royal Horticulture Society has given Cyclamen coum its coveted Award of Garden Merit, and you will find this plant a delight to grow, even in full shade. Begin your colony today! Zones 5-9.