| My wife just received a Cyclamen as a gift. I'm under the impression that this requires some "special care." How should she care for it? |
| If your Cyclamen was sold as a potted plant, it is almost certainly a florist's cultivar derived from Cyclamen persicum. They basically do their growing in the fall, winter and spring, and are dormant in the summer. Just when they go dormant will be determined to some extent by the conditions under which they are growing. Too much heat in a sunny window, for instance, will encourage early dormancy, while growing in light, but cool conditions may see them continuing into mid-May. Take cues from your plant...when the leaves have gone yellow, withhold water and let it rest until September. Keep the pot in a cool place if possible and dry - but not so dry that the compost will never wet again. |
