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Cyclamen
creticum growing on the Omalos Plain, Crete. Alt. 1,140m
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Distribution & Habitat
Cyclamen creticum is endemic to the Greek islands of Crete
and Karpathos, where it grows in shady places where it is protected from the
sun either by shrubs or by growing in gullies, rock fissures or north facing
banks. C. creticum is known from only two locations on Karpathos but is
abundant throughout Crete from near sea level to about 1300m. In 1994, 1995 and
1996 the Cyclamen Society mounted expeditions to Crete to (amongst other aims)
survey the distribution of C. creticum on the island, and these have proved
that it is far more widespread than had hitherto been thought.
Description
Cyclamen creticum is a small dainty plant, closely related
to C. repandum and C. balearicum. Its flowers are white like
C. balearicum, but larger, more graceful and with a faint scent. they
appear in March and April, and in May at the higher altitudes. |
Grey-WIlson (1997) distinguished two forms:
- Forma creticum: flowers pure white
- Forma pallide-roseum: flowers pale pink or white flushed with
pink
However, in the wild there appears to be no clear demarkation, with
mixed populations containing plants with white flowers, those with the most
insignificat touch of pink (not registering on the R.H.S. colour charts), and
those with well defined pink flowers.
The forms in cultivation tend to have grey-green cordate leaves with
only faint markings and little variation. However, those collected by the
Cyclamen Society prove that more well defined silvery markings on a dark green
ground, are not uncommon. Also, there are a minority of plants in certain
populations which have a pale pink flush.
Cultivation
In general, Cyclamen creticum is not hardy, although forms
derived from higher altitude plants have survived several degrees of frost when
planted in a sheltered spot. Shade from strong sunlight is essential, as like
C. repandum ssp. peloponnesiacum, the leaves are thin and easily wilt.
C. creticum prefers damp conditions with some leave debris incorporated
in the compost.
Click above to display a report of the findings of the 1994, 1995 and
1996 Cyclamen Society Expeditions to Crete, plus a detailed report of the 1996
Expedition