Cyclamen is also called alpine violet and dryberry. It has an unpretentious character and pleases with wonderful flowers. The juice of the plant is used in traditional medicine recipes and pharmaceutical preparations, mainly related to the treatment of ENT diseases.
It has soothing, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It is destructive for most microorganisms, destroys viruses that provoke the development of colds, frontal sinuses, migraines, and inflammation of the maxillary sinuses.
Important : uncontrolled use of cyclamen extract for health purposes is dangerous.
The following varieties are most often found on window sills: Adjarian, European, Persian. There are about 20 species of perennials in the genus. They require an unpretentious attitude, which is why they are especially popular.
What it is?
Alpine violet (cyclamen) is a perennial plant with bright flowers of all colors. They look like a flock of butterflies fluttering over the foliage. Cyclamen leaves are green and have light green or silver veins.
This decorative flower does not reach large sizes.
They are divided into three groups according to height:
- short - up to 15 centimeters;
- medium-high - up to 20 centimeters<;
- standard - up to 30 centimeters.
There are two types of cyclamens:
- Persian (read about how to properly care for Persian cyclamen at home);
- European.
The latter is very rarely found in home collections. Its flowers are small, with a pronounced pleasant scent.
Possible pests
Alpine violet - why is cyclamen called that?
Harmful insects can also harm cyclamen. Below are the main pests that pose a threat to the alpine violet.
Aphid
Aphids suck nutritious juice from green spaces. With a massive invasion of pests, leaf plates and inflorescences begin to deform.
Aphids can be painted in various shades:
- grey;
- green;
- orange;
- black.
The appearance of a coating reminiscent of dandruff indicates that the plant is infested with aphids. To cope with harmful insects, it is recommended to spray green spaces with insecticides. You should first wash the leaf blades of the alpine violet under running water.
Aphid invasion
Cyclamen mites
Pests are colored yellow. Cyclamen mites have 4 legs. Their activity is aimed at damaging the inner surface of leaf plates. Apparent dust on flowers is a place of mass accumulation of mites. The outermost parts of the foliage gradually change shape.
When figuring out why cyclamen leaves curl, it is worth checking it for pests. When they accumulate en masse, the buds fall off and the stems become severely twisted.
To cope with an insect infestation, you should begin removing the affected flowers and buds. Plants need immediate treatment with insecticidal or folk remedies.
Note! It is important to inspect flowers daily for diseases or pests.
The necessary conditions
In order for the plant to please the owner with exotic flowers for a long time, you need to place it in a bright place, inaccessible to direct sunlight.
Important! Cold and extreme heat will adversely affect the flowering plant. Therefore, you need to maintain the optimal temperature: from 10 to 15 degrees.
Watering the flower should be done exclusively through a tray, since the root rots if it gets too wet.
In addition to maintaining a certain temperature and lighting, cyclamen must be sprayed with softened water. When spraying, you need to make sure that the water does not stagnate on the rosette of leaves, otherwise the flower may get sick.
The main reasons why cyclamen does not bloom
Content:
Cyclamen is an indoor plant that captivates gardeners with its delicate sunny flowers. Flower petals are rich in their color palette: white, pink, dark red, burgundy, purple and other possible options. And the whole value and beauty of this flower is that the flowering period falls on the most stingy time of the year - winter. Yes, yes, it is when basically all the plants have already dropped their flowers, and there is so little sun outside the window, that cyclamen pleases and inspires us with its blooming appearance.
This perennial plant gets its name from the Greek word “cyclos”, which means “circle”. The main vital organ of the flower, the bulb, has this shape. The most common indoor species of cyclamens are “European”, also known as “Alpine violet”, and “Persian”.
Many lovers are afraid to start cyclamen, arguing their decision due to the complex content and frequent diseases of the plant. Why? Caring for a flower is not particularly difficult if you know the basic rules for the favorable maintenance of cyclamen. And the flower gets sick no more often than other plants. But yes, unfortunately, errors in improper care have a detrimental effect on the condition of the flower: the leaves dry out, the roots rot, and as a result, cyclamens do not bloom.
Maintenance rules for favorable flowering
In garden stores, cyclamen is mainly sold in the fall, when the buds have already formed and begun to bloom. Therefore, when choosing a flower, pay attention to a plant that is already ready to bloom or has a lot of unopened buds.
Naturally, the selected flower should not have any external damage, the leaves should be succulent, low-lying. The main criterion for further successful flowering is planting a cyclamen tuber. In no case should it be completely immersed in the ground; at least 1/3 of the part should be visible on the surface.
Cyclamens love diffused light and react painfully to direct sunlight. If you keep the plant on a windowsill, be sure to shade it from the bright sun. The best option for the necessary sunlight is south-west windows.
For good health and regular flowering, cyclamen requires cool air temperatures. In summer, the best temperature is +18°C, but not more than 23-25. If possible, bury the plant in the garden in the shade. In winter, at the height of flowering, the air temperature should not be higher than 15°C. It is the low temperature that affects the formation of buds and long-term flowering.
During the growing season, regular but moderate watering is necessary. Water frequently, but not heavily. The soil must not become overdry or, conversely, excessively waterlogged. Make sure that water does not stagnate on the tuber and leaves - this can lead to rotting of the flower. To do this, pour water into the edge of the pot. It is best to use settled, soft water at room temperature. Excess liquid must be drained from the saucer so that the roots do not accidentally rot.
Cyclamen is also partial to humidity. Before flowering begins, you can occasionally spray the flower with a spray bottle, but be careful not to allow water to accumulate on the leaves. It would be optimal to spray not the leaves, but the air around the flower. To increase humidity, it is also recommended to place the pot on a special tray with expanded clay, pebbles or wet moss. Remember: the roots of the plant should not come into contact with water.
Depending on the species, under favorable conditions, the flowering period lasts from October to March. In the spring, as all the flowers fall off, watering the cyclamen is gradually reduced. And by summer, the plant generally needs to be watered very rarely. The so-called dormant period begins, during which the leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off. Bare tubers remain. At this time, it is advisable to lay the pots with tubers on their sides and place them in a cool, shaded place. Closer to autumn, they place the pot upright and begin to gradually moisten the soil.
Replanting cyclamen
In autumn, a new flowering period begins, which is marked by the growth of small leaves. At this time, it is necessary to start replanting the plant. The pot for replanting needs to be small: for a small one-and-a-half-year-old tuber, select a pot with a diameter of no more than 8 cm; For bulbs 2-3 years old, a 15 cm pot is suitable. Another option for choosing the right pot is as follows: the distance between the edge of the pot and the tuber itself should be from 3 to 4 cm. If cyclamen rots more often in a large pot, then premature and short-lived flowering is possible in a small one. The result of an optimally chosen pot will be lush flowering and healthy roots.
The old soil is completely replaced. The new soil mixture can be purchased at a garden store in ready-made form, marked “for cyclamen.” When preparing the soil yourself, use leaf soil, humus, river sand, turf or peat. Be sure to have drainage and a ventilation hole at the bottom of the pot. It is recommended to calcinate or steam the prepared soil mixture and treat it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, because cyclamen is very easily susceptible to attack by pests. The flower must be replanted carefully, without damaging the root ball.
Please pay special attention: in order for your cyclamen to bloom, when transplanting the Persian variety, the bulb cannot be completely buried in the soil; be sure to leave 1/3 of the tuber on the surface. When transplanting other species, deep planting is allowed, but when replanting the “Neapolitan” variety, you must completely immerse the tubers in the ground.
Let us emphasize once again: improper planting of the bulb is a common mistake, and the main reason why cyclamens do not bloom.
After transplanting, the cyclamen is placed in a cool, bright place and watering begins to gradually increase. At the stage of intensive leaf growth before flowering, it is necessary to feed the flower with mineral fertilizers. It is best to use organic formulations. Avoid high nitrogen content - this can lead to rotting of the root system.
Diseases and pests that inhibit flowering
Often, some cyclamen diseases lead to the rapid fall of flowers and a delay in the flowering period itself. Let's look at the most common types.
Fusarium is damage to plant tissue by fungi that secrete toxic substances into the vessels of the leaves. It manifests itself as yellowing of leaves from the tops, mainly on one side of the plant. Gradually the entire flower, including the tuber, becomes infected, which sooner or later leads to death.
Wet rot is a bacterial and very dangerous disease. The initial stage is accompanied by sharp wilting and the smell of rot from the tuber. The root system is also subject to infection. There are no methods to combat rot; the plant must be destroyed.
Gray rot is a fungal disease, manifested by the growth of gray mold on the leaves, as a result of which the plant turns yellow and dies.
Aphids are small, annoying insects that are gray, green or black in color. It is dangerous because it sucks the juice from the leaves of the plant. It can be detected by the folding of the leaves, the buds do not open, and the flowers are covered with sticky secretions. Further growth of the plant slows down. The situation is worsened by the infection of sticky leaves by sooty fungus. The fungus, in turn, impairs gas exchange.
The cyclamen mite is a very small insect, mostly yellow in color. At the initial stage, the mite settles on the inside of the leaf. Affected leaves curl, buds wither and fall off.
Thrips are an oval-shaped pest up to 2 mm tall. With the help of wings they fly from a diseased plant to a healthy one. It leaves behind a silvery trace, mainly affects the leaves, while the flowers become stained and gradually fade.
Pest control methods allow the use of chemical and biological agents. But the best treatment, as always, is prevention, which consists of regular inspection of cyclamen, periodic treatment of the leaves with special solutions and proper maintenance of the plant.
On average, cyclamen lives 15-20 years, and in one period you can get up to 70 flowers. Gradually fading buds need to be removed along with the peduncle. Pluck yellowing leaves from the tuber itself. By the way, cut cyclamen flowers stand well in water. Split ends and regular changes of water in the vase extend the shelf life to 2-3 weeks.
You will be interested to know about another feature of cyclamen tubers - they contain a toxic substance that causes inflammation of the skin. While traditional medicine uses this flower in the treatment of sinusitis, rheumatism, and homeopaths use cyclamen to treat female genital organs and diseases of the central nervous system.
In ancient books, cyclamen is called pig's bread, because these animals readily feed on the roots of cyclamen. But for us, lovers and connoisseurs of indoor plants, cyclamen is close to flowers that “flutter” like butterflies. By following all the above recommendations, you will give yourself joy and a sunny mood during the long winter months, admiring the magnificent flowers.
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Why are there no flowers at home?
It happens that after the cyclamen has faded, the owner waits in vain for the buds to appear again (read about the characteristics of cyclamen flowering and how to care for the plant before and after it has bloomed). This phenomenon can continue for more than one year.
If your flower does not bloom on time, there may be several reasons for this:
- It is hot in the room where the flower is located. At elevated temperatures it cannot produce color. The optimal temperature for flowering is 10 - 15 degrees.
- The root system is located at great depth. Accordingly, part of the stem is immersed in the ground. This also causes the plant to go dormant.
- Plant disease.
Bud formation
Cyclamen begins to bloom after its dormant period ends (from the very beginning of June to September), and this happens gradually. From September to November, the plant “wakes up”: new green leaves begin to appear on it. And in December, when it has returned to the state it was in before hibernation, the plant finally begins to bloom: bright and variegated flowers grow on the peduncle, which do not fall off until the beginning of May.
Under all conditions created for the correct dormant period, cyclamen will bloom regularly.
Proper feeding and care
It was already said above that for proper growth and development, cyclamen needs sunlight, a certain temperature and regular watering through a tray.
When watering, the flower itself determines how much water it needs. Therefore, it absorbs only part of the liquid. The rest of the water must be drained so as not to expose the plant to the risk of rotting.
The flower is difficult to adapt to indoor conditions, so it is necessary to use fertilizing. It is especially important to do this during flowering, because during this period cyclamen actively absorbs nutrients from the soil.
Various fertilizers and fertilizers can be used. The main thing is that they contain potassium and magnesium. Now they are available in every specialty store.
It is better to use fertilizer while watering the plant. But excessive consumption is also undesirable. The flower will begin to gain green mass and refuse to bloom.
IMPORTANT. During the dormant period, that is, when the plant sheds flowers, watering should be done less frequently. You need to focus on the soil near the root. The water should be a few degrees cooler than the surrounding temperature.
Also, during the dormant period of cyclamen, it is necessary to place the pot with the plant in a place protected from sunlight.
We talked in detail about the rules for caring for cyclamen at home in this article.
Are there varieties of spathiphyllum that bloom with green flowers?
In addition to a long spadix, the spathiphyllum plant also has a bract - a “spread”. Brightly colored bedspreads can have different shades. Changing color to green is often a cause of concern even for experienced gardeners. There are several reasons for this
It is important to understand: why do spathiphyllum flowers appear green, what to do?
Spathiphyllum flower
The spathiphyllum plant is represented by a wide variety of varieties. The most common ones found in flower shops are:
- Charming. It is distinguished by the shape of the leaf plate with the most clearly defined veins. The inflorescences are light green. Following the rules of care allows you to achieve year-round flowering.
- Abundantly flowering - the smallest representative of spathiphyllum. Capable of blooming throughout the year.
- Chopin has been the most popular subtype for many years. The plant is able to absorb harmful air and saturate the environment with oxygen. The perianth is white and has a green edge. The flower plate is painted white.
- A rare representative of the species is the Picasso variety, which is one of the brightest spathiphyllums.
Abundantly flowering variety
On a note! In some varieties, greening of flowers occurs “with age.” For example, in the variety Helikonyelistny.
Pruning and replanting
There is no need to trim. Dried flowers and leaves are not cut off. They are carefully twisted out. This is done so that the plant does not rot.
If for any reason there is a need to replant cyclamen, the following actions must be taken:
- Prepare the pot. It must be processed for disinfection purposes. REMEMBER. There is no need to choose an overly large pot. This will cause the cyclamen to begin to rot or stop blooming.
- Place drainage at the bottom of the pot, then soil. It is usually recommended to use expanded clay as drainage. It must be disinfected and dried before use. Soil for cyclamen can be purchased at the store, or you can make it yourself. For preparation you need sand, peat, humus and leaf soil in a ratio of 1:1:1:3.
- A tuber is laid out on the ground. The remaining space is filled with substrate, leaving a third of the tuber on the surface.
Reference! The plant is extremely susceptible to pests and diseases. Therefore, the soil for it needs to be sterilized. Water for irrigation must also be sterilized.
Planting a flower
It is best to plant a cyclamen bulb in a small pot so that the distance between it and the wall of the container does not exceed 3 cm. If the bulb is young, up to 1.5 years old, then a pot with a diameter of 8-10 cm is suitable. For a 3-year-old bulb, it is better to use a container up to 15 cm in diameter.
In order for the tuber to develop and bloom better, it is necessary to leave about 1/3 of the bulb above the soil surface when planting it. Only European cyclamen tubers need to be completely buried.
You can also grow cyclamen with seeds, but this is a very labor-intensive and time-consuming process, so it is almost never used by amateur gardeners.
What to do and how to force him?
- First of all, you need to understand the reason for the lack of flowers. Perhaps the plant is too hot. Try changing its location, this may be the reason.
- Inspect the leaves and soil around the plant. If there are no changes: mold, etc., then the plant is healthy. Remember that the result will not be immediate. You need to be patient and continue to monitor.
- If all of the above actions did not lead to the desired result, then it’s all a matter of improper planting of the plant: the wrong size pot, incorrect root planting depth. In this case, there is nothing left to do but replant the cyclamen.
At first glance, it may seem that caring for cyclamen at home is very difficult. But you shouldn’t deny yourself the pleasure of owning a beautiful, extraordinary plant. If you follow simple care rules, the flower will thank you and will delight you for a long time.
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What insects like to eat cyclamen?
Another problem when growing cyclamen is pests.
The juicy leaves of cyclamen attract the attention of not only gardeners, but also various insects. Having established who exactly attacked your flower, you can help it get rid of the “uninvited guests”
This can be done using a magnifying glass or by the nature of the changes occurring in the bush.
The appearance of a cyclamen mite is easy to notice by the following signs:
- first, the leaf plates begin to lose their shape and bend ugly;
- then they stop growing and become hard;
- the inflorescences fade, and the flower stalks become deformed (curved).
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If thrips appears on the cyclamen, the leaves of the plant:
- first covered with white dots;
- then they merge into gray-silver spots;
- begin to curl;
- gradually die off.
To combat thrips, use Aktara or Fitoverm. At the initial stage, when there are not very many pests, drugs can help get rid of them. In case of massive damage, the flower dies.
One of the most dangerous pests of cyclamen is the scale insect, primarily for the reason that it is generally impossible to get rid of it with the help of drugs. Often gardeners do not even notice it until the flower begins to disappear. If you see convex growths on the petioles, peduncles or the back of the leaves, this is not a deformation of the plant, but a very dangerous enemy. The scale insect is covered on top with a strong semicircular shell that protects it. The insect is firmly attached to the flower, literally merging with it into one whole, and no chemicals will help here. The only way to get rid of scale insects on cyclamen is mechanically, by manually tearing them off.
A common “guest” on cyclamen is aphids. These small white insects suck the juices out of the leaves, as a result of which they begin to curl and deform, becoming covered with a sticky coating, and young leaves appear small and also curved.
Growing from seeds
Cyclamen seeds
Cyclamen grown from seeds is more hardy than a ready-made specimen from the store. From birth he is adapted to the conditions of the home environment.
You can sow cyclamens all year round, but the best period is February-March. At this time, daylight hours increase and seedlings do not need additional lighting.
Containers and loose soil for crops are prepared in advance. Cyclamen seeds are large, with a dense skin. They are first soaked for a day in water or a solution of growth stimulants. Then they are embedded in a damp substrate to a depth of 0.5 cm. The containers are covered with film to keep the soil moist. The crops are ventilated daily and checked for seedlings. They germinate unevenly, with the first seedlings appearing within 2-4 weeks. Favorable conditions are created for young plants: they select a well-lit place, control soil moisture, preventing drying out, and make sure that young nodules are completely covered with soil. The cover from the crops is removed when they get stronger and fully expand their leaves. During this period, within 1-2 months, the root system of cyclamen intensively develops. Through the walls of the transparent containers you can see how the roots are gradually filling the soil, which means it’s time to plant the plants.
It is convenient to plant seedlings in 200 ml plastic cups. A drainage hole is made at the bottom, then they are filled with nutritious, moist soil. Before picking, the plants are watered, one at a time removed from the common nursery and transplanted into cups. The first time after picking, the seedlings are watered when the soil dries out a little. For normal growth, cyclamens are provided with the necessary conditions: diffused sunlight, coolness, watering and fertilizing. The growing season of indoor cyclamens lasts 10-12 months. Therefore, if sowing was carried out, for example, in February, then a year later you can get a flowering plant.
Reproduction
Reproduction of cyclamen
Cyclamen is propagated by seeds, tuber division and division by daughter tubers.
The seed method is suitable for all types of indoor cyclamens.
Tuber division
Adult specimens are propagated in this way. After 7–8 years, many cyclamens lose their decorative properties and need rejuvenation. Divide the tuber in the dormant stage. It is removed from the ground and dried. It must be healthy and undamaged. Use a sharp knife to cut it into several pieces. Each division should have a bud and part of the roots. The sections are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and dried for 24 hours. Then the tubers are transplanted into separate pots with moist soil. The pots are placed in a shaded place and watered moderately to prevent rotting.
Division by daughter tubers
This propagation method is suitable for European cyclamen. Over time, small daughter nodules form around the mother tuber. They are easily separated from the main tuber when transplanted. They are planted in separate pots and cared for as young plants.
