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Distribution & Habitat
Cyclamen persicum grows wild in south western Turkey, The
Hatay and Adana Provinces of southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan,
the Greek islands of Rhodes, Karpathos and Crete, Algeria and Tunisia. There is
no doubt that the populations through the Hatay, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and
Israel are natural, but there are theories that those in the various islands
and North Africa may be plants which were introduced by monks or other
religious orders as there appears to be a relationship between these
populations and monasteries or at least cemeteries. |
C. persicum grows in a variety of habitats: maquis, garigue, open
scrub, rocky hillsides, abandoned olive groves, or in woodland. It grows from
Sea Level to 1200m (3,940 ft). It is found growing on graves in the old Turkish
Cemetery in Rhodes Town, and in snow on the top of the Golan Heights in
Israel.
Description
Cyclamen persicum is the parent species of the florists Cyclamen,
however, the description which follows is concerned with the natural species as
found in the wild.
The flowers are generally white (sometimes a soft pink, or with a pink
flush) with a deep pink or crimson-magenta zone at the base of each petal,
however there is an albino form, which is found in the east of its range, and a
form with deeper pink or almost cerise flowers is found in two populations on
the island of Karpathos. The petals vary between 20-37mm (0.8 - 1.5 inches)
long and 10-18mm (0.4 - 0.75 inches) wide.
The flowers appear between December and early May, but there is a single
population near Jericho, Israel/Palestine where the plants flower in the
autumn. Genetic material from this population was introduced into cultivation
by the Society's 1990 expedition to Israel.
Grey-Wilson (1997) distingishes various taxa based on flowering period
and petal colour:
1. Flowers borne in the autumn
................................................................................................C.
persicum var. autumnale
... Flowers borne in the late winter
and spring: C. persicum var. persicum
............................................................. 2
2. Flowers white or very pale pink, with deep pink round the base
............. C. persicum var. persicum forma
persicum
... Flowers pure white
...............................................................................
C. persicum var. persicum forma albidum
...
Flowers mid- to deep rose-pink, uniformly coloured or rather deeper around the
nose
.................................................................................................................
C. persicum var. persicum forma roseum
...
Flowers red to carmine
.........................................................................
C. persicum var. persicum forma puniceum
The leaves are cordate, up to 14cm (5.6 inches) long and up to 13.5 cm
(5.4 inches) wide, and green, often with marbling on the upper surface. A
silver-leafed form also exists. Chromosome count: 2n=48.
Cultivation
Cyclamen persicum is principally a tender plant which will not
tolerate frost. However when grown under glass it will survive temperatures as
low as -2ºC provided the leaves are dry. In this case, the leaves will
darken and go limp, but will recover when the temperature rises. The Cyclamen
Society 1990 expedition to Israel found C. persicum growing in snow on
the Golan Heights, and the progeny of collected plants have proved able to
survive lower temperatures in cultivation, and in a sheltered, well-drained
spot, are suitable for growing in the open garden.
In pots, the tubers will grow in size quickly and it is common for them
to reach a diameter of over 15cm (6 inches). They appreciate some pine needle
litter incorporated in the compost and respond positively. However, C.
persicum must not be grown in too rich a compost otherwise it will produce
a large quantity of foliage and will look 'cabbagy'. This lush growth is also
very susceptible to botrytis and other rots and moulds and it is essential that
there is adequate ventilation so as to maintain a good flow of air around the
plants.
Click above to display a report of the findings of the 1990 Cyclamen
Society Expedition to Israel, in connection with Cyclamen persicum.