Cyclamen persicum – Ready Planted White Winter Display (3 Plants in a Christmas Trough)

This ready planted Christmas trough holds 3 white cyclamen, the classic florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), for crisp, clean colour on a doorstep, patio or porch through autumn and winter.

White cyclamen have delicate, swept-back flowers that stand out against their dark, silver-marbled, heart-shaped leaves. They suit a winter planting scheme as a centrepiece on a doorstep or as part of a larger seasonal arrangement, and they keep flowering through the cooler months.

The 3 plants are growing together in the trough and are ready to display as soon as it is in place, with no extra planting needed. Stand it in a sheltered spot in partial shade, out of cold wind. It is one season of autumn and winter colour rather than a permanent planting, because a hard or prolonged frost will kill it.

Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged, and water at the edge of the trough rather than over the crowns. Cyclamen prefer to stay slightly on the dry side. Remove spent flowers with their stalks, and pick off yellowing leaves, to encourage more blooms. In a very cold spell, move the trough to a sheltered porch. Keep the tubers away from people and pets, as they should not be eaten.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: White Cyclamen, Florist's Cyclamen
• Botanical Name: Cyclamen persicum
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 15-20cm tall and 15-20cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Compact, low-growing, clump-forming
• Perfect For: Doorsteps, patios, porches, window boxes and winter containers
• Foliage: Silver-marbled, heart-shaped dark green leaves
• Flowering Time: Autumn to early spring (October to March, variety dependent)
• Flower Colour: White
• Planting Position: Partial shade, sheltered from cold wind
• Hardiness: Not hardy. Will take a light frost in a sheltered spot, but a hard or prolonged frost kills it
• Seasonal Interest: Autumn and winter
• Type: Ready planted winter container