tomasinianus—Spring. Palest pinkish-blue.
versicolor—Spring. Lilac with purple streaks, or, in the variety picturatus, white with purple feathering.
zonatus—Fall. Rosy lavender with orange inside.
CARE. Soil, sandy and drained. Not much fertilizer. Full sun. Hardy, but winter mulch is often helpful. Divide seldom and replant at once. Be on alert for rodents.
PROPAGATION. Offsets, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens, colonization.
Cyclamen Primulaceae
These are the country cousins of the florist’s cyclamen but smaller in size. Their substantial, heart-shaped leaves are often beautifully marked in marbled patterns and are in a circle near the ground. Generally they are evergreen through the winter but drop before the flowers appear. Each blossom hangs from its own stem with turned-back tubes. Some varieties blossom in summer and fall, some (indoors or in suitable climates) flower In winter or very early spring. A number of varieties are available.
atkinsi—Crimson flowers in January, foliage marbled. The variety album has white flowers; roseum is pink.
cilicicum—Purple-throated pale-pink flowers on five-inch stems (in September), small marbled leaves.