Cyclamen

If you think of cyclamen as a finicky little gift plant that looks great for a few weeks but quickly becomes a candidate for the compost pile, I’ve got some good new for you: Those quirky blooms and richly patterned leaves are easier to grow (and keep year after year) than you might think. I’ve learned a lot about growing them indoors and out over the years and thought I’d share some of my own experience along with that of a couple of expert growers.

Cyclamen are split into two groups: the hardy types like you see in the photos at right, and the tender types on the next pages.

Hardy cyclamen are smaller than the tender ones and, depending on the species, will bloom in early spring or fall. Urs Baltensperger, owner of Edelweiss Perennials, has been growing cyclamen for years in his own garden and in