"Sed5555" wrote in message
...
I saw a reference book in the bookstore an hour ago, and it claimed
that cyclamen is winter hardy to zone 3

I don't know about zone 3, but I grow them here in zone 4/5. Many species
of
hardy cyclamen are hardy to -10 to -20 degrees:
Cyclamen coum, Cyclamen hederifolium,
Cyclamen pseudibericum, Cyclamen purpurascens. They come in shades of
white,
pink, and lavender. Some bloom in spring, but most in late summer to early
fall.
sed5555

I had a cyclamen survive in northern MN (zone 3) for 4-5 years by planting
it on the east side of the house near the foundation and covering it with an
18" layer of red pine needles in early November before the ground froze. I
threw a piece of plastic on top of the pine needles to keep them from
getting wet and took everything off as soon as soon as the temperatures
started getting and staying above freezing during the day, which was usually
the end of March. It froze out the first winter I didn't cover it. Maybe
that's more work than it's worth.

John