winter bulb

Hurrah for Hardy Cyclamen

In the midst of drab winter, I value anything hardy enough to send up colorful blooms. Such is the case with Hardy Cyclamen. Cyclamen coum are tuberous perennials, cold hardy in zones 6-9. These short plants are perfect for rock gardens, woodlands, containers, or scattering through partly-shaded beds. Plants go dormant during summer months. Because of their small stature, they show best when planted in groups.

Please note, we are talking the species purpurascens, coum or hederifolium here, not Cyclamen persicum, those gorgeous but finicky flowers from florists. I can usually kill those in about six weeks, although two weeks is my record. There is disagreement over the correct pronunciation of the genus, with some insisting on SIGH-cluh-men and others preferring SICK-luh-men.

Cyclamen’s delicate appearance would lead one to believe they are difficult to grow . Not so. My start came from a friend who discovered a drift behind her new home. They were growing happily in loose leaf litter, with the bulbs barely covered. Some even sat atop the humus, with only their roots extending into soil. She shared a few bulbs with me. In four years, they have multiplied into a couple of healthy clumps. I have not irrigated or fertilized them, but have adjusted their soil pH with lime to barely alkaline. In the Mary Snoddy garden, they coexist with hostas, acanthus and Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’ under spotty shade cast by Crape Myrtles and pine trees.

Flower stems are shaped like shepherd crooks, so the top of the flower points to soil, not sky. Both flowers and leaf patterns are highly variable between different species. All forms of the leaves have beautiful designs in silver, darkest green or burgundy.

Cyclamen prefer partial shade cast by trees. Too much rain or irrigation in summer, when the bulbs are dormant, can lead to rot. Plants will self-seed, so be careful not to overdo the mulch around them. They are rarely bothered by diseases, insects or varmints.

Cyclamen were used medicinally in ancient times for various purposes including love potions or to make bald heads re-grow hair. Now we know that raw bulbs are highly toxic and can cause severe digestive upset or even death. Flower petals can be used to brew tea. Play it safe and stick to Lipton.

Tubers should be planted in autumn. Purchase your bulbs only from reputable vendors (shout out here to Brent and Becky’s, a bulb catalog company in Gloucester, VA and Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, NC). Unethical sorts have collected bulbs from the wild until they approach extinction.

Cyclamen closeup.jpg

Cold Gold - Winter Aconite

Recent rains and gusty winds brought down the last colorful autumn leaves. It will be a few weeks before crocus, hellebores, mahonias and edgeworthias start blooming. In browsing for new garden additions to brighten the winter scene, I ran across Winter Aconite, sometimes called Buttercup.

Eranthus hyemalis, pronounced er-AN-thiss hy-eh-MAY-liss, enjoy similar light conditions as Hellebores: full sun during bloom period, partial shade otherwise. This makes them an ideal candidate to plant under deciduous trees. They enjoy regular moisture but will tolerate less during dormancy. Golden yellow Winter Aconites bloom early, even before crocus.

The plants grow from tubers which should be planted rather deep (5 inches in good soil, a little shallower in heavy clay) so they are not damaged by cold. Soak the tubers overnight before planting to give them a good start. Winter Aconites are petite plants and should be planted close together in tight groups rather than spaced apart. They enjoy a rich soil and will survive in zones 4-9.

Plants can be propagated by division. Happy plants grown in fertile soil with plentiful moisture may reseed, sometimes heavily. They can be planted in the lawn as well as in flower beds, since the post-bloom foliage will wither and die before it’s time to mow grass in the spring. This is one of the few plants unaffected by the toxic substance, juglone, produced by black walnut trees.

Regretfully, I’ll need to forgo this one. Winter Aconites are extremely toxic to humans and pets. Eating the bloom, leaves or bulbs results in nausea, disrupts heart rhythms and can be deadly.

The photo is of a plant in a local botanical garden.

Winter Aconite at Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, Spartanburg, SC. Anonymous photographer.

Winter Aconite at Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, Spartanburg, SC. Anonymous photographer.