22-02-2003, 09:15 AM
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cyclamen
In article ,
(Marley1372) wrote:
In a pot, indoors. Cyclamen are not hardy outdoors here in zone 5. Give them
lots of light and dont let them dry out.
Toad
Obvioiusly the big fancy houseplant or florist varieties can't be put
outside, but there are hardy cyclamens that'll do just fine in usda Zone
5, especially C. coum & C. hederifolium (the two most commonly
available) plus C.purpurescens & C. cilicium. Those four can even adapt to
zone 4. Two others which are likely to succeed in zone 5 are C. repandum &
C. mirabile. Probably others as well, which are said to be hardy to zone
6B, could adapt to colder with protection. But if the six listed were the
only ones, that'd be a lot to choose from.
They prefer shade to partial shade, dryish soil to moderately moist well
drained. Good for up close to tree trunks where nothing else grows, though
liking to get started in a rich soil.
The rumor that they are delicate & can't be put outside derives from the
fragility of the really big-flowering ones. The hardy varieties all have
small flowers, but very wonderful.
-paghat the ratgirl
--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/
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