Cyclamen x “Violeti” – Sowbread
Flowers appear over a long period of Autumn/winter, with outlandish recurved pink petals, forming a shuttlecock shape.
Habit:
A low growing, tuberous plant that flowers for six months from early autumn. If happy, it will self-seed. In Karin’s garden this Cyclamen is never quite fully dormant during summer, bearing a few leaves year round, which is a great help to avoid digging it up when weeding or planting. The name Sowbread, or swinebread, arises since they are supposed to be eaten by pigs. This must have some truth as the vernacular name is the same, in translation, across many countries in Europe and in Japan. The leaves are attractively marked, but not as remarkable as some Cyclamen.
Origins:
All but one Cyclamen come from the Medditeranean through to Iran. I am unable to be certain, but this hybrid almost certainly has Cyclamen persicum var Autumnale, the florists Cyclamen as one of its parents, possibly with C. hederifolium as another parent (for hardiness). The result is a hardy Cyclamen, in Karin’s Garden, that is the envy of gardeners in cooler climes who have to make do with the much smaller flowers of C. hederifolium and C. coum.
Soil / Aspect:
Cyclamen prefer partial shade, as they are really a woodland plant, and do not like exposed spots. Also they can be overwhelmed by herbaceous plants. So probably best to find a place in amongst some shrubs where they will get some direct sunlight.
Maintenance:
There is really nothing to do with this one. If it likes you then it will spread and be a joy, if not, then . . . well . . . not.