About
Cyclamen balearicum is a tuberous perennial that reaches a height of up to 5 cm. Its leaves are heart-shaped with scalloped edges, featuring a mid to grey-green color that is prominently marked with silver on the upper side, while the underside is a deep red. In spring, it produces fragrant flowers with backward-curving petals, available in shades of white or pale pink, which emerge alongside the foliage.
About the genus
Cyclamen are perennial plants that grow from tubers and feature rounded or occasionally angular foliage, frequently displaying appealing mottled patterns. Their flowers, which are nodding and distinctive in shape, consist of five petals that are reflexed and twisted, often exhibiting dark markings near the base.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, East-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Alpine Rockery, Bulbs
- Habit
- Tufted
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- Up to 10 cm
- Spread
- 0-0.1 metre
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants, Mediterranean climate plants
- Native to
- Balearic Islands, S France
- Fragrance
- Flower
- Toxicity
- Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in a cool glasshouse or bulb-frame in a mix of equal parts loam, leaf mould, peat substitute and sharp sand. Plant with the tops of the tubers just at the surface. Provide bright, filtered light and moderate humidity. Water moderately when in growth but reduce humidity and water as the leaves fade. Keep completely dry when dormant. Apply a low-nitrogen liquid fertiliser every two months when in full leaf. See hardy cyclamen cultivation
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed, sown in darkness as soon as ripe. Can be beneficial to soak seed for 10 hours then rinse, prior to sowing
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, vine weevil and cyclamen mite under glass
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to cyclamen grey mould, particularly when grown under glass