Winter Colour

by | Feb 1, 2020 | Blog

If you are looking for a hardy little plant that will come back year after year then you couldn’t do much better than the hardy perennial Cyclamen coum.

It is a small pretty little plant found hugging the ground in woodland glades and happy in shady spots of the garden. C. coum are really tough and don’t mind the current harsh weather. They provide a burst of colour in January and February when there are few other plants in flower.

They have delicate pink or white flowers which are held above kidney shaped leaves. C. coum are a member of the primrose family and like a well-drained, shady spot. The flowers grow up to 10cms (4inches) high and the mix of colours can be surprising.

Did you know that the seeds of C. coum are covered in a sticky substance which attracts ants in the Spring? The ants carry them off and where they are sown the plants quickly grow forming a lovely new colony.

To get the best results, plant growing cyclamen (in the green) rather than dried coums and then just leave them to their own devices. They will quickly naturalise in the ground where they are planted. 

C. coum are easy to grow and look after. If you want to ensure continued pleasure add a little garden compost or leaf mould and they will self seed spreading a lovely carpet of Winter colour.