(903)455-9885 December 11, 2009 TO: Greenville Herald Banner Tawakoni News Count
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
2217 Washington Street Greenville, Texas 75401 (903)455-9885 December 11, 2009 TO: Greenville Herald Banner Tawakoni News Country World News Wolfe City Mirror Commerce Journal Kuumba Heritage Celeste Tribune Lone Oak Newsletter FROM: June Morgan Master Gardener Hunt County SUBJECT: Weekly News Column – On the Grow Cyclamen is a genus which contains 23 species and is native to the Mediterranean region from Spain to Iran and in Northeast Africa. It is the national flower of Israel. The most common is the Cyclamen Persicum often found in the fall at florists and garden shops with white, pink and red flowers. Although usually considered a houseplant, Cyclamen can also be put outdoors until frost as it enjoys chilly temperatures. However, when the flowers die, even the most avid gardener often feels not up to the challenge of nursing them along and so throws them into the compost heap. However, many do have great success with them year-round, allowing them to become dormant, and enjoying them for many years. To care for them, first put them in a cool place 50-65 degrees and in bright indirect light. When bought in the fall, consider keeping them outside, perhaps enjoyed through a window. High humidity is crucial, and keeping the pots on a bed of rocks or other shelving and watering from the bottom is best. While they are in full leaf feed them with a low nitrogen fertilizer every few weeks. Bring them in before a frost and locate them away from heat to prolong their season. The numerous seeds are in a five- chambered capsule and can be harvested and planted or, if in an outdoor bed, will be dispersed naturally by ants. Eventually, most will go into a dormant phase, stop blooming and the leaves will turn yellow and die. Hold back on watering and repot to a larger container with fresh potting soil with the top of the tuber just slightly above the soil line. Too much water at this point will cause the tuber to rot, so if kept outdoors in a shady spot, try to keep it from getting rain soaked. Keep the dormant plant out of bright light and gradually allow the plant to dry out. Eventually new growth will appear around September at which it is time to begin watering and feeding again. In mild climates, Cyclamen Persicum along with some other species can be a bedding plant, but only one species, Cyclamen hederifolium is considered to be hardy. In the wild, Cyclamen is often adversely affected by climate change and illegal collectors, making some species endangered. Conservationists are making an effort to educate the populace to propagate the plants as a crop, thereby both sustaining the wild plants and producing an income. It is considered edible and the petals can be used for tea, making it a highly desirable plant. For further information on the Internet, go to “The Cyclamen Society”, “Plants for a Future”, and “Cyclamen Q & A.” .