Cyclamen look difficult, but are easier to care for than you might think. But, since their growing season is different than it is for other plants, many people struggle to keep them alive. Don’t worry, in this detailed guide I will show you all you need to know so they will thrive for years to come.
Though they have a reputation for being fussy, cyclamen plants are actually surprisingly easy to grow once you know their care requirements.
They are much tougher and hardier than they look, and do equally well in the garden as they do indoors. Plus they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, which makes them fun to collect too.
The good news is that, with the right cyclamen care, you can keep your plant for decades, and get it to bloom over and over again.
Continue reading to learn all you need to know about how to grow cyclamen in this detailed guide. Below you’ll find details about watering, fertilizer, soil, humidity, flowering, light, and much more.
Cyclamen Quick Care Overview
| Scientific name: | Cyclamen |
| Classification: | Tropical plant |
| Common names: | Cyclamen, others vary by variety |
| Hardiness: | Ranges fro zones 3-11, but varies by type |
| Temperature: | 50-70°F |
| Flowers: | Several colors, blooms in late winter/early spring |
| Light: | Full to partial shade, bright light indoors |
| Water: | Allow soil to dry between waterings, do not overwater |
| Humidity: | High |
| Fertilizer: | General purpose plant food fall-spring |
| Soil: | Fast-draining, fertile soil |
| Common pests: | Spider mites, aphids, thrips, mealy bugs |
Information About Cyclamen Plants
Cyclamen, which is also their common name, is a genus of perennials that are native to the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe.
There are only 23 different species, but they come in a wide range of colors, sizes, and hardiness.
They’re also very durable, and can grow either indoors or outside, so you can enjoy them in your home and garden.
Since they are winter flowering plants, they’re very popular gifts around the holidays, especially for Christmas and Valentines Day. The bright, cheery flowers last a long time, and they are gorgeous.
Cyclamen Life Cycle
Cyclamens have an opposite growing season than most plants. Since they bloom in the winter, it means that they thrive during the cooler months of the year, and go dormant in the heat of the summer.
That’s why they’re such popular gift plants around the holidays, and the reason they made my list of the top flowering houseplants.
However, it’s also the main cause for confusion on how to successfully grow them.
The biggest mistake people make with cyclamen care is trying to force them to grow year round. Most people don’t realize they need a period of rest in order to thrive.
Different Cyclamen Varieties
There are tons of beautiful cyclamen varieties and hybrids to choose from, and they all share similar care requirements. So whichever species you choose, you can’t go wrong. Here are some popular ones.
- Cyclamen persicum – Also called florist cyclamen, this is one of the most common varieties you can grow, but also the least cold hardy.
- Cyclamen purpurascens – The hardiest type of all, these can survive the winters outdoors all the way down to zone 3. But they hate the heat, and won’t do well in warmer climates.
- Cyclamen hederifolium – Another cold hardy variety, but only down to zone 5 outdoors. It blooms profusely in late winter/early spring, with lovely pink-purple flowers and gray-green mottled leaves.
- Cyclamen coum – This specimen has rounded dark green leaves which are marbled with silver, and the flowers can be anywhere from white, pink, or red.
Flowers
In nature, cyclamens flower during the winter, and go completely dormant in the summer. Indoors they follow a similar pattern.
Once open, the small fragrant blossoms dangle at the tops of tall skinny stems, which makes them appear to float above above the gorgeous heart shaped foliage.
They can be single or double, and some of them have ruffled edges, while others are rounded.
The delicate flowers come in a wide range of colors too, and can be anywhere from light, dark, or hot pink, white, red, purple, coral, and some even have white tips or margins.
Related Post: What To Do With Cyclamen After Flowering
Toxicity
A common question I get asked is: “are cyclamen plants poisonous?”. The short answer is yes. According to the ASPCA website the tubers are toxic to both cats and dogs when ingested.
So, if you have any pets or young children running around, it’s best to keep this one out of reach, just in case.
How To Care For Cyclamen
Before we dive into the detailed care requirements for cyclamen, first we need to discuss where to grow them. Choosing a good location is the first step for long-lasting health.
Hardiness
Though cyclamen are most commonly grown as houseplants, you might be surprised to learn that they’re perennials. They look tropical, but actually prefer cooler weather over heat.
Depending on the species, the hardiness can range anywhere from zones 3-11. That means that most gardeners can actually grow them outside in their garden. Woohoo!
However, it’s important to know which species you have, because some will only survive in warmer regions, while others require cold climates.
Where To Grow Cyclamens
Whether yours is in a pot or the ground, the ideal location for growing cyclamen is an area that gets partial shade or filtered sunlight, and stays cool during the winter.
Indoors they will do great in a bright room with indirect sunlight, or in an east or west facing window.
Outside they prefer a dry shady spot where they’ll be protected from the hot afternoon rays.
Cyclamen Plant Care & Growing Instructions
Now that you know where to grow them, it’s time to talk about the specifics of cyclamen plant care. The tips below will ensure you will be able to keep yours happy and healthy.
Cyclamen Temperature Tolerance
Cyclamens are very fussy about the temperature. They like to be kept cool during their active growing season (fall through spring). If they get too hot, it will force an early dormancy.
Indoors, keep them in a room where the temperature is between 50-70°F. The cooler they’re kept, the longer the flowers will last too.
They’re also sensitive to drafts, so avoid areas where hot or cold air blows (like near heat vents or drafty windows).
Providing the ideal cyclamen growing conditions outdoors is pretty easy during the winter, since it’s naturally cooler. Just protect them from the heat of the sun.
Watering
Proper cyclamen watering is a critical part of their care, and another thing that is a bit different than most plants.
Like African violets, they don’t like getting their leaves and stems wet. So it’s best to water them from the bottom, rather than over the top.
They like to stay evenly moist during their active growth period, and then dry out during summer. Consistent overwatering will kill them.
So allow yours to dry slightly between waterings, but never completely bone-dry. If you’re not sure how to keep them properly watered, I recommend getting a moisture gauge to help you out.
Using special pot that’s self-watering is perfect for growing cyclamen plants, and would be a great help to protect against overwatering.
Humidity Requirements
Another important piece of successful cyclamen plant care is humidity. They like a lot of humidity, and this is especially important during the winter months.
To help increase the level around your cyclamen, you can run a humidifier nearby. You could also try putting it on top of a pebble tray filled with water.
To help you maintain the proper amount, try keeping an indoor humidity monitor near them to make sure the air doesn’t get too dry.
Light
Cyclamen plants like bright light, but they don’t like it hot, so take care to keep them out of the sun. Direct sunlight is too intense for them anyway, and can burn the leaves.
However, if they don’t get enough light, especially indoors, they can get tall and leggy. So find a spot where they’ll receive morning and evening sun, but be shaded from the strong afternoon rays.
A window with filtered light indoors, or a partial shade location outdoors are the best choices.
Soil
General purpose potting soil will usually work just fine for growing cyclamens, as long as it doesn’t hold too much moisture. If you tend to overwater, then use a fast draining mix instead.
You can always amend regular potting medium or clay garden soil with perlite or pumice and sand to give it better drainage.
Repotting
If your cyclamen has outgrown its container, you can repot it into a larger one. The best time for repotting is while they’re dormant.
Make sure to plant your cyclamen in the new pot at the same depth it was in the old one, and that it has adequate drainage.
Don’t bury the tubers too deep, they should be kept slightly above the soil line.
Fertilizer
You can fertilize your cyclamen using a weak half dose of liquid plant food every 2-4 weeks while it’s actively growing and blooming. Stop once the flowers begin to fade.
When you bring it out of dormancy, begin feeding again when it starts to put on new growth. A good rule of thumb is to only feed them while they have leaves.
They are very sensitive to chemicals, which can cause major damage. So I highly recommend using an organic option.
Compost tea, which you can get in liquid form or buy tea bags and brew your own, is a great choice. An organic flower fertilizer also works well, or use a general purpose one.
Pruning
Regular pruning is not a necessary part of cyclamen care. Normally the only time you’ll have to worry about it is as the flowers and foliage begin to fade and die back.
Simply snip off any dead or dying leaves and bloom stems at the base as needed using precision pruners. Once it’s completely died back, cut everything down to the soil line.
Pest Control Tips
Pests are rarely an issue with healthy cyclamen plants, but spider mites, aphids, thrips, or mealy bugs can sometimes attack them.
You can gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or one soaked with a natural insecticidal soap the help get rid of bugs.
Or spot-treat them by dabbing the insects with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.
The leaves can be sensitive to sprays though. So to avoid damage, test them on one leaf for a few days before treating the whole plant, and don’t use any chemical products.
Dormancy
As I’ve mentioned before, cyclamen needs a period of dormancy as part of their annual care routine.
The catch is that it normally occurs during the summer, which is opposite than for most other plants.
Their natural cycle is that once the flowers fade, the leaves will start to die back and drop off.
Eventually the plant will die all the way back to the soil, and officially begin its rest period.
Unfortunately when this happens, most people think it’s dying or that they killed it, so they’ll throw it out.
However, this is a normal part of their life cycle, and just like amaryllis, they need it in order to bloom again.
So don’t toss it out when it starts to die back! With the proper care, you will be able to get your cyclamen to bloom again every year. Learn all about their dormancy and how to revive them here.
Cyclamen Propagation Tips
Cyclamen plants can easily be propagated by dividing the tubers and potting them into their own container. Each individual tuber will become a new plant.
They can also be grown from seed, and many times will sow themselves in the garden. But it can take a year or more before the new babies start to bloom.
So this method is definitely much slower than splitting mature ones.
Troubleshooting Common Cyclamen Care Problems
In this section, I’ll help you troubleshoot some of the most common cyclamen plant care problems. These tips will help you get yours back to health in no time.
Yellow Leaves
When the leaves start turning yellow, it can be a sign that your cyclamen is getting too hot. Move it to a cooler location, and keep it out of the direct sunlight.
If it has just finished blooming, then it’s probably going dormant, which is totally normal behavior. Learn all about the possible causes and how to fix yellow leaves here.
Flowers Drooping
Droopy leaves and flowers are usually caused by improper watering. Check the moisture level to make sure it’s not too wet or dry.
It’s also normal for the blooms to start drooping as they fade. In that case, cut them off at the base to help the others last longer.
Not Flowering
If your cyclamen is not flowering, that usually means it didn’t get a proper rest period. But it can also be caused by lack of nutrients, or the tubers were planted too deep.
First, ensure they get 2-3 months of full dormancy during the summer. If that’s not the problem, try giving them a dose of plant food during their active growth period.
Otherwise, repot or transplant them, ensuring the tops of the tubers stay slightly above the soil.
Foliage Looks Dirty Or Deformed
If the leaves or flowers look like they’re dirty, faded, or deformed, then it’s probably caused by bugs.
Gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth soaked in water or insecticidal soap, but never spray anything on them.
Cyclamen Care FAQs
In this section I’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about cyclamen care. If you can’t find yours here, then leave a comment below.
Do cyclamens grow back every year?
Yes, with the proper care, cyclamens will grow back every year indoors. Whether they will grow back outdoors depends on the hardiness of the specific variety you have, as well as your climate.
How long do cyclamen plants last?
On average, cyclamen flowers last for as long as 6-8 weeks. But some can bloom for up to 3 months in the ideal conditions. The plants themselves can live for decades.
Are cyclamens indoor or outdoor plants?
Cyclamens can be either indoor or outdoor plants. They will thrive as houseplants as long as they stay cool, and will survive outside in the proper climate.
Do cyclamens like shade or sun?
Cyclamens like shade, as the full sun is too hot for them. Indoors give them bright, indirect, or filtered sunlight from an east or west facing window.
Can cyclamen be planted outside?
Yes, cyclamens can be planted outside and can grow there year round as long as the variety you have is hardy in your zone. Plant them in a full or partial shade location where they’ll be protected from the hot afternoon sun.
Where do cyclamen grow best?
Cyclamen grow best in a humid, shady location with free-draining soil where they will stay cool, especially during the winter.
With proper cyclamen plant care, these beauties will bloom every year around Christmas time. Now that you know how to grow them, you’ll be able to enjoy the flowers for many years to come.
If you want to learn all there is to know about maintaining healthy indoor plants, then you need my Houseplant Care eBook. It will show you everything you need to know about how to keep every plant in your home thriving. Download your copy now!
More Holiday Plant Care Guides
- How To Care For Poinsettia Plants
- How To Care For A Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
- How To Care For A Holiday Cactus Plus Growing Tips
- How To Care For An Easter Cactus Plant (Schlumbergera gaertneri)
- How To Care For A Christmas Cactus Plant (Schlumbergera buckleyi)
Share you cyclamen care tips in the comments section below.
Judy Perkins says
Hi
my cyclamen have fished blooming , the flowerpetalseither fell off or when brown, I pulled them off. The flower centers – many round balls on original stems – look sort of like seed pods-. DoI leave them or remove flower stems at their base ?
Thanks
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, cyclamen plants will sometimes form seed pods after they are done flowering. If you want to try saving the seeds for planting, then leave them on the plant until the seeds pods are dry and brittle, then collect the seeds. Otherwise, you can cut the flower stems off at the base if you don’t care about the seeds.
Barbara says
I find this quite interesting. I have had 2 cyclamen plants that came in a funeral basket almost 11 years ago. They have never stopped blooming. In the fall and winter they are full of blooms but have never set any seeds. In the spring and summer they bloom, but not quite as full. I only water when I see the leaves flagging and fertilize only every couple of months. They sit in front of a southern exposure window with an overhang so that they get full sun in the winter and not much sun in the summer. There are always new crowns being produced, and I thought about splitting the plant, but I am not quite sure when to do it, as they never go dormant. A few of the crowns have gotten leggy. I have thought about cutting them off, but I am afraid that it might cause the plant to become diseased. Any advice.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Since yours never goes fully dormant, the best time to divide your cyclamen would be in the spring or early summer, when the flowering slows down. Just make sure each tuber you split off has its own roots, and an eye at the top (the place where the leaves grow out of). Have fun!
Jessica Guilbs says
This is my 10yr olds first house plant and once it started to yellow, he was very upset. Im very happy that we got to know more about his first plant. This article was a godsend! The information was easy to read and understand. Thats great for a 10yr old who is dyslexic (we read it together!).
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh how wonderful! I’m so glad I could help you learn how to care for your kiddo’s cyclamen plant, and that you were both able to easily understand the information. That warms my heart! I hope you enjoy caring for it together for many years to come. <3
Stephanie says
Thank you so much for all the information! I just planted mine outside because I’ve seen them in other gardens in the area. I live near Seattle WA. The flowers are large and more rounded than others I have seen. Is it going to be to cold here? Thank you so much!
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome. It depends on the type of cyclamen plant you have. Some are hardy down to zone 5, while others will only survive in very warm climates of 10 and above. If you know the variety you have, then it’s best to look up the hardiness for it to be sure. Otherwise, think of it as an experiment. 🙂
Diane says
Was thinking about putting my cyclamen in the garage the next three months for dormancy but it would get as cold as 40 to 45° out there ..would that be too chilly? Thx!
Amy Andrychowicz says
That should work. I would just be sure the temperature always stays above freezing for your cyclamen during dormancy.
Barbara Dewar says
I love my cyclamen plants. I received two of them in funeral baskets when my husband passed away 10 years ago. I kept them in the original pots for at least 8 years, transplanting them to larger pots about 2 years ago. These plants have never in the 10 years not stopped blooming. I keep reading about how they need to go dormant, but this is obviously not true, at least for mine. They sit on a south facing window that gets no sun in the summer, and strong sunlight in winter because my house was built for solar effect. I normally only water when I see the leaves flagging and give them a shot of fertilizer every couple of months. Each plant has produced several other plants as the tubers naturally divide. The oldest plants have gotten leggy. I am kind of afraid to try to split them, so I have left them just keep growing and blooming nonstop.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, that is fantastic, excellent job!! It sounds like you have the perfect growing environment for cyclamens. Other people have said the same thing about their cyclamen blooming year round without going into dormancy, so it’s not unheard of. I have never had luck with that myself, LOL!
Lisa Skillen says
Hi!
I bought a really pretty white cyclamens in Vancouver, BC. I thought I had killed it, but reading this it looks like it’s just dormant, yay! My roommate keeps our place pretty warm, which is why it went dormant early, I assume.
My question is: if it goes dormant now, and its regular dormant season is 2-3 months through the summer should I
A) let it stay dormant longer than 3 months or
B) wake it up in the summer, when it wants to be asleep?
Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, it sounds like your cyclamen has gone dormant. It’s very common for the growers to force them to bloom earlier than they normally would (they can sell more plants that way! 🙂 ) So that is probably why it’s gone dormant earlier than usual too. It can take a few years for cyclamens to get back into their natural dormancy pattern, so it may wake up earlier than normally this year too. Don’t try to force it. I would just follow the instructions above and allow it to rest for 2-3 months, then start the process of waking it back up. It may take a little longer to come out of dormancy, so be patient. Good luck!
Natasha says
Priceless article. Saved me just in time – thank you
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wonderful, so glad to hear my article was so helpful for you to save your cyclamen! 🙂
Jenn says
This was the most detailed and informative article I’ve ever read about an individual houseplant!! I’m so thankful that I found this site!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wonderful, so glad you enjoyed my article about cyclamen care! You’re very welcome! 🙂
shahadet says
Hi,
I bought 2 cyclamen plant in my house. I take care of them properly(light,temp.,water, fertilizer). But the flowers I’m getting are too small than the original bloom. Whenever I buy and bring it at home, flowers starts to become tiny.
In Germany it’s not too much hot outside.Can you please help me? Thanks
Amy Andrychowicz says
It’s probably because breeders that grow the plants use a lot of chemicals to get them to flower before they sell can them. It’s also normal for plants to go into a bit of shock while getting used to living in a normal home, rather than in a greenhouse. So, it may just be that your cyclamen plant is adjusting to it’s new environment, and detoxing from all those chemicals. You can feed your cyclamen while it’s blooming, and that may help. Read the section above titles “Fertilizer To Use For Cyclamen”.
Carol F. says
My condo was throwing 3 cyclamen away. They are entering dormancy. Could I repot them all in one larger pot so I only have to find space for 1 big planter?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Nice score! Yes, you can combine the cyclamen bulbs into one large container, rather then keeping the three smaller ones.
Elssa says
My cyclamen has remained full and green, and blooming indoors for a year and a half! Maybe the blooms are not prolific, but the leaves have definitely not died back.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wonderful! How fun that your cyclamen hasn’t gone dormant for that long. Enjoy!
Cathy says
We just bought a Cyclamen about 2 months ago. we’re in upstate NY. usually I have a black thumb but for some reason I seemed to find the right watering schedule which with this one is about every 3-4 days. It’s not humid in our house. It still has a couple of flowers. It started from buying with 4 flowers, then 2 died before I knew how to water it. a third grew back and a 4th. Now I’m back to 2. I read above that you should prune out dead flowers as mine is still do great growing new leaves. Do I snip the flower stems down by the soil? Also since mine seems to be growing upward as it grows, does that mean I should (during dormancy) repot it into a wider pot. I don’t know if it’s supposed to spread wider or keep growing vertically. thanks so much. I love this plant!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, pruning out the flowers after they fade will help your cyclamen bloom longer. Prune them out by carefully cutting the flower stem all the way down to the soil level. It’s normal for cyclamen flowers to grow upright, so no worries there. No need to repot it unless it’s become pot-bound.
Cathy says
Thank you so much. I love this plant and am working hard to keep it healthy. I’m in NY I thought it would be going into dormancy now but surprisingly more buds are starting besides the couple of flowers still alive. One bud is already showing the developing white/pink start of the flower.
also, thanks for letting me know about the direction of growth. How do you know if you need to repot at any point as it grows taller and taller? Mine’s between 9 and 10″ now and the pot is about 6″
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome, glad I could help. You can wait until your cyclamen becomes pot-bound before you repot it. That’s when the roots and bulbs have completely filled the pot, and they look like they’ll start busting out. Then you can repot it. There’s no benefit to repotting it sooner than that, they like to be pot-bound.
Claudia says
Hello,
Lots of buds, but they are not opening, or opening very slowly. Is this normal? The plant looks very healthy. Any suggestions? More light?
Amy Andrychowicz says
The main reason cyclamen buds don’t open is that the plant is kept in a location that’s too warm. Cyclamen plants need cool temperatures in order for the flowers to open. They will bloom their best when the temperature is blow 70F during the day, and even cooler at night. They also bloom better in indirectly light. So, for example, if you have your plant sitting in a sunny window or a very warm room, then that’s likely the problem.
Katrina says
My cyclanem is sparse for leaves and those leaves are very long and leggy . What could be the problem and how do I get it looking normal again??
Amy Andrychowicz says
It sounds like your cyclamen may be getting ready to go into dormancy, which is normal for this plant. Read the section above titled “Cyclamen Flowering Season and Dormancy” for details about that.
Barbara Iverson says
During dormancy you say to keep it dark and dry, does that mean absolutely no water at all, or should I give it a mist? What suggestion do you have for exactly where to keep it in the summer during dormancy? Is a refrigerator too cold? The dormant period has me baffled. Can it be in a warm room, somewhat dark and kept totally dry? During the summer the air conditioner is run when it’s very hot, otherwise it’s warm in the house.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Don’t water or mist your cyclamen at all during dormancy. If it’s kept too wet, the bulbs can rot. As for where to put it during dormancy, I keep mine in a dark storage area in my basement. You don’t need to put it into the fridge, it doesn’t need to be that cold. Just find the darkest, coolest spot in your house – like a closet, pantry, or maybe under the sink or in the linen closet in a spare bathroom. They grow in California, and it’s certainly not cold there during the summer, LOL! Hope that helps!
Barb Fournier says
I received a little cyclamen in a pot a pot a year ago. When the leaves died, I let it go dormant and, after about 3 months brought it up and started watering it. It has nice big leaves but no blooms. It’s been out of dormancy for several months now and seems healthy but no flowers. What will make it bloom?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Woohoo, congrats for getting your cyclamen out of dormancy, that’s so exciting!! Have you tried fertilizing it yet? You should start fertilizing regularly as soon as the leaves start growing, and your plant should start blooming shortly after. Read the section above titled “What Fertilizer To Use For Cyclamen” for more details. Good luck!