Cyclamen hederifolium, sowbread, or ivy-leaved cyclamen, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to woodland, shrubland, and rocky areas at altitudes of up to 1,200 metres in the Mediterranean region from southern France to western Turkey and on Mediterranean islands. It is also naturalised farther north in Europe and in Oregon. This widespread cyclamen species is widely cultivated and among the most hardy and vigorous in oceanic climates.
Taxonomy Two subspecies are accepted: Cyclamen hederifolium subsp. hederifolium — throughout the range of the species, except as below Cyclamen hederifolium subsp. crassifolium (Hildebr.) Culham, Denney & P.Moore — southern Greece
Another related cyclamen from Crete, formerly known as Cyclamen hederifolium var. confusum, is now treated as a separate species, Cyclamen confusum.
Etymology The species name hederifolium comes from the Latin (ivy) and (leaf),, because of the shape and patterning of the leaves. The synonym C. neapolitanum refers to Naples, where the species grows.
Description Cyclamen hederifolium is a tuberous perennial growing up to 30 cm tall that flowers and produces leaves in autumn, grows through the winter, and aestivates through the summer after the seed capsules ripen and open.
Tuber The tuber is round-flattened and produces roots from the top and sides, leaving the base bare. In some other cyclamens (e.g. Cyclamen persicum), the roots come from the bottom, leaving the top and sides bare. The tuber becomes larger with age; older specimens commonly become more than across. The leaves and flowers grow from buds on the exposed upper surface of the tuber.
Leaves The leaves are 2.5–8 cm long, variable in shape; depending on the specimen, the leaf shape varies from heart-shaped to long and arrow-shaped, usually with 2–3 angled lobes on each side, resembling the juvenile leaves of ivy (Hedera). They are naturally variegated, most commonly with a hastate pattern in silver to grey-green and various shades of green. In cultivation, plants have been selected where the leaves can be from all-green to all-silver.
The petiole and flower stalks of Cyclamen hederifolium grow outwards and then up, forming an "elbow". From Latin, 'hederifolium' translates to ivy-like leaves. In the closely related Cyclamen africanum, the stalks grow up from the tuber without a bend near the base.
Flowers The flowers are produced from late summer to autumn before the leaves; they have five petals 1.2–2.5 cm long; usually pink, purple, or white with a streaky magenta V-shaped marking on the throat, but sometimes pure white with no markings. They are self-fertile, producing seed without the need for pollination.
The edges of the petals near the tip of the flower are curved outwards into strong auricles. The style protrudes only minimally out of the throat of the flower. These are not present in some other species, such as C. persicum. The flowers are occasionally fragrant. The shape of the flower varies from long and thin to short and squat.post 434. Cyclamen 2009. Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum.
Fruit After the flowers finish, the flower stem coils tightly, starting at the end, and rests above the tuber. The seeds are yellow-brown, held in a round pod, which opens by 5–10 flaps at maturity. The seeds are covered in a sweet sticky substance attractive to ants, which can disperse the seeds up to several hundred metres.
Cultivation
Cyclamen hederifolium is usually listed as the hardiest species of cyclamen. In oceanic climates, it self-seeds abundantly and will crowd out less vigorous species such as Cyclamen coum if the two are planted together. In cold continental climates such as Calgary, Alberta, where Cyclamen purpurascens grows well, it may not survive.post 20. Cyclamen kuznetzovii. Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum. It is hardy to zone 6, tolerating temperatures down to -18°C, or lower (to -30°C) if protected by reliable snow cover.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017).
Cultivars and cultivar groups C. h. subsp. hederifolium has sometimes been divided into two forms differentiated by leaf and flower characteristics, forma hederifolium with pink or purple flowers with darker markings at the base of the petals, and forma albiflorum with white flowers, sometimes with pale pink throat. These are however not considered botanically distinct by the Plants of the World Online (POWO) database, which treats f. albiflorum as a synonym. The white-flowered form has won the RHS AGM.
Another published varietal name Cyclamen hederifolium var. poli, with long sagittate (arrowhead-shaped) leaves, is listed by the Pacific Bulb Society, but is also treated as a synonym of the type by POWO.
Selected cultivars of Cyclamen hederifolium include: Cyclamen hederifolium 'Amaze Me', a cultivar with dark pink flowers, is early blooming. Cyclamen hederifolium 'Ruby Glow' has particularly deep all-magenta flowers.photos from AGS Loughborough Autumn show. Alpines for the Enthusiast (blog). Cyclamen hederifolium 'Stargazer' has upward-facing flowers.Cyclamen hederifolium 'Stargazer'. GAP photos.
References Notes
Sources Cyclamen: a guide for gardeners, horticulturists, and botanists by C. Grey-Wilson (Google Books)
External links
Cyclamen Society Pacific Bulb Society CalPhotos