Cyclamen is a tuberous plant that produces flowers. While it can be grown in a garden, most people choose to grow it in pots, usually indoors. Successfully growing cyclamen involves keeping the plant in a cool area and making sure that it gets enough sunlight. The plant also requires specific watering and pruning guidelines in order for it to be healthy and bloom. If well taken care of, cyclamen will produce flowers that are white, pink, or purple.
In order for cyclamen to grow, it must be kept at cool temperatures. Daytime temperatures should be no higher than 68°F (20°C). At night, the plant should be stored in an area that is between 40 to 50°F (4 to 10°C). A cyclamen plant that is kept in an area that is too warm may survive for a short time but its leaves will turn yellow and blooming time will be shorter, if it blooms at all. The plant prefers a slightly moist environment and a humidifier can be used if the air is too dry.
When growing cyclamen it must be carefully watered. The soil that this specimen grows in should be allowed to become dry to the touch between waterings. Giving the plant too much water, or watering the stem of the plant, can cause the tuber to rot and the plant to die. Instead, the soil around the plant should be watered or the pot can be placed in a dish of water to obtain moisture through a hole in the bottom of the pot.
This flowering plant requires a lot of sunlight. A growing cyclamen should receive about eight hours of light per day. Indirect sunlight is best, although full sunlight is suitable too, as long as the plant does not get too warm.
Using fertilizer is usually recommended when growing cyclamen. The plant responds best to a water-soluble fertilizer that is diluted to half-strength. It should be applied to the plant every three to four weeks. An insecticidal soap made for plants can also be used to prevent the cyclamen from being attacked by spider mites, thrips, or aphids.
Dead leaves and flowers should be removed from a growing cyclamen plant in order to promote more growth and flowering. To remove these, the leaves and flowers should simply be pulled off the plant. Removal of dead plant matter should be done carefully in order to ensure that the tuber is not damaged.