What do you see on your garden walks? 2012

[Hoy]

Thanks Michael, it's vice versa too - I believe you have much warmer summers than I have
We had rather nice weather today but working I couldn't enjoy it. At this time of the year I leave home before sunrise and get home about sunset but I had 3/4 moon shining when driving this morning Now it is back to rain again

[Spiegel]

Michael, the only cyclamen that makes it here is C. fatrense, which came from Dick Redfield many years ago.  I've tried C. coum (didn't even make it through a single winter), and C. hederifolium.   Cyclamen fatrense blooms in August (if memory serves), and is long lasting in the garden.

[cohan]

How does purpurascens do in eastern NA gardens? It certainly has no issues with cold- I think Lori has had it for some years, and I've had a number of seedlings outside for a couple of winters (not a long term endorsement yet, I know) though of course we have very different climate issues from you folks down east..

[Lori S.]

Yes, my two old plants of Cyclamen purpurascens (from Gardens North seed in 2004) are still doing OK here.  Last summer, I finally moved some of the seedlings around, out from underneath other plants, to where they are visible at the front of the border.  The size of the corm underneath the one old plant is quite surprising (it was exposed at the ground surface).
This account suggests that C. fatrense is a plain-leaved form of C. purpurascens:
http://www.cyclamen.org/purp_set.html

I'd also recommend giving this species a try, if you're interested, Michael.  I haven't had any overwintering success with C. coum or C. hederifolium.

[AmyO]

How does purpurascens do in eastern NA gardens? It certainly has no issues with cold- I think Lori has had it for some years, and I've had a number of seedlings outside for a couple of winters (not a long term endorsement yet, I know) though of course we have very different climate issues from you folks down east..

I've had great luck with C. purpurescens, coum & hederifolium here in Vermont with no extra winter protection, but in very well drained soil. The coum is self-sowing too!

[Spiegel]

After visiting with Nina and Jack Lambert many years ago, Nina gave over 50 Cyclamen coums in all sizes.  I tried them in many different areas in the garden, in varying soils, exposures etc.  Not one made it through the winter.  She gave me many more the following year with the same result.
I was told by a Czech grower that C. fatrense was not a form of C. purpurascens.  The leaf is not absolutely plain, it does have some minor marbling.  At any rate, it has been hardy here for many years, the others (hederifolium, coum) have not.  C. hederifolium actually made it through a few winters but gradually dwindled.

[McDonough]

Anne, do you grow Cyclamen purpurascens?  I find it iron-clad hardy here, and as well, forgiving of hot dry weather too, reliably flowering starting mid summer and lasting into early autumn.  Some of the marbled and silver leaf forms are outstanding.  I scratch in the seed, and they come up by the hundreds.

[Bundraba!]

Well, there you have it! If it will grow for Amy, Anne and Mark then it will certainly grow for me! This could be a case of trying too hard; killing plants. No arguments: I'm looking for peace in 2013 as well as for exciting gardening adventures

[Tim Ingram]

Interesting to hear how well Cyclamen purpurascens does in Mark's and other gardens. Here it is a very choice and not so reliable plant, and doesn't generally seed around, though very lovely. We do exceptionally well with C. hederifolium, which I always thought one of the hardiest of species, but even graecum will grow outside whilst rarely flowering well. The most beautiful species (I've always thought) is repandum, but this doesn't like our hot dry summers.

[deesen]

A few points here taken from Chris Grey-Wilson's "Cyclamen: A Guide for gardener's, Horticulturalists and Botanists" (Batsford  2002) in respect of Cyclamen purpurascens.

In respect of C. fatrense = C. purpurascens he says:-

"In my monograph "The Genus Cyclamen" 1988 I was very dismissive of the related C fratense described in 1971...... from the Fatra region of Slovakia. ASt that time I had not had the chance to observe either the dried type specimen nor better still, any living material. However, I have since been able to observe live collections from several sources and I have now come to the conclusion that this plant cannot be distinguished on botanical grounds; it's prime distinguishing feature is the plain unmarked leaves but such forms exist elsewhere in the species range. However the plant in question behaves rather differently in cultivation and is, for that reason, best identified as the Fatra Form. The earlier confusion results mainly from the claim of the original authors that C fatrense differed from C purpurascens in having plain not marbled leaves. However the Fatra Form is a far more uniform plant in the wild, all the individuals in the limited region in which it is found with plain leaves. The leaves are noticeably   more matt rather than shiny green and with a more scalloped margin, and the flowers are often somewhat larger on average, though they fit within the overall dimensions of C purpurascens. As these variants are in many ways rather minor ones, I am unable to accord the plant even with varietal status"

He goes on to say "that the Fatra Form is a rather better garden plant than the more widespread forms of C purpurascens, being both more prolific in flower and, in favoured sites, seeding around. In the eastern USA, where Cyclamen grow rather poorly compared to many places in Britain, the great exception proves to be the Fatra Form which thrives in healthy colonies in several of the gardens that I visited in 1994. The only conclusion I could draw was that it favoured the acid soils of the region.........."

In his own British garden Grey-Wilson does not appear to find C purpurascens easy and suggests tubers should be deeply planted (6-8 inches) "and capped with a generous mulch of bark chippings or pine needles".  Of American growers he mentions Gerald Fisk "who clearly enjoys great success with this species in his Chicago, Illinois garden"

[Spiegel]

Mark, the only cyclamen that has survived for me is what I know as Cyclamen fatrense from Dick Redfield.  Dick was very insistent that it was different from C. purpurascens (which I don't have), and since his knowledge was really encyclopedic. I've always accepted it as such.  It's a lovely plant whatever the name.  I tend to become very fond of plants that do well for me and I'm very fond of this one.

[McDonough]

Tim, the Cyclamen hederifolium and coum leaf forms are pure delight!

David, I find it surprising about Grey-Wilson advice to deeply plant C. purpurascens (6-8 inches), mine always rise to the surface with 1/2 of the tuber above ground level!  It's somewhat unnerving observing that behavior, as I worry they will dessicate in our summer heat, and if no snow cover, could be winter killed, but it seems to be what they want.  Mine are also growing on a steep hillside, so moisture never lingers there, the area becomes quite dry.

Anne, given that I'm a couple hundred miles to the north of you, I have to imagine C. purpurascens should be hardy and grow for you.  I can save seed this summer.

Some views of Cyclamen purpurascens planted under Magnolia 'Forrest Pink', in one view there was a bumper crop of Magnolia seed littering up the cyclamen and trillium bed beneath , a view of self-sown seedlings (all green ones).  I started out with all-green leaf ones, then got some silver and marble leaf types, and now get all kinds of seedlings.

[RickR]

That was very helpful, David. Thanks.

I have now come to the conclusion that this plant[C. fatrense] cannot be distinguished on botanical grounds...

but on cultural grounds...
-------------------------------
C. purpurascens growing in Minnesota gardens have their crown at or just below the soil surface, for the most part.  I've always imagined that those "above grade" simply heaved up with frosts, but they do equally well.  A few grow C. hederifolium, and they look very healthy, although I've not seen them in flower.

[Spiegel]

Thanks, Mark.  I'll look forward to trying the seed.

[Howey]

Hope you all had a Happy Christmas and New Year.  Thought you would like to see what I saw while walking around the neighborhood.  The snow fell on Boxing Day and, with gatherings from all over the neighorhood, provided just enough snow for this 18 ft. high fellow.  Cars are stopping day and night for picture taking causing quite a traffic jam on the street.  A real delight.  Oh, Oh, I forgot to resize so will send it to you separately.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b