Cyclamen persicum – Purple & Pink Autumn and Winter Planter (3 Plants in a Floral Metal Trough)

Florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) bring rich purple and pink colour to the darker months, and this floral metal trough arrives ready planted with three of them growing together. It makes a welcome seasonal gift or a bright autumn and winter display for a porch, doorstep or patio.

Each plant forms a compact, mounding clump of heart-shaped, silver-marbled leaves, with swept-back flowers held above the foliage. The exact mix of purple and pink shades varies slightly, so every trough is a little different. Flowers continue from autumn into early spring, with the best display around Christmas.

The three plants are already growing in the trough and arrive in it, so there is no planting to do. Stand it in a sheltered spot in partial shade, out of cold wind. These are not hardy plants. They will take a light frost in a sheltered container but a hard or prolonged frost will kill them, so treat them as one season of colour and move the trough under cover in severe weather.

Keep the compost on the dry side and water at the edge of the pot rather than into the crown. Remove spent flowers with their stalks and pick off yellowing leaves to keep the display going. The tubers should not be eaten.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Florist's Cyclamen, Christmas Cyclamen, Persian Cyclamen
• Botanical Name: Cyclamen persicum
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 20-30cm tall and 20-30cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Compact and mounding, with upswept flowers above marbled foliage
• Perfect For: Porches, doorsteps, patio containers, festive displays, gift giving
• Foliage: Deep green, heart-shaped leaves with silver marbling
• Flowering Time: Autumn to early spring, peaking around Christmas
• Flower Colour: Purple and pink
• Planting Position: Partial shade, sheltered from cold wind
• Hardiness: Not hardy. Tolerates a light frost in a sheltered container; a hard frost kills it
• Seasonal Interest: Autumn and winter
• Type: Autumn and winter container bedding