Florist's cyclamen, or indoor cyclamen, are popular house plants grown for their large, showy winter flowers, in shades of white, pink and red. The flowers may be frilly or scented, and are set off by marbled, heart-shaped leaves. They are widely available in garden centres and at the florist's in autumn and winter and are often given as gifts. Given the right care, they should flower for at least six weeks. If you're choosing a cyclamen to buy, look for one plenty of buds – it will mean that the plant will flower for longer.Florist's cyclamen are cultivars of the wild Cyclamen persicum, native to Turkey. The smaller-flowered cultivars, also known as 'mini cyclamen' are sold as outdoor bedding plants in autumn. These are great for adding colour to pots and window boxes in autumn and early winter. However they are not frost hardy.
Florist's cyclamen die back naturally in spring, in preparation for a period of dormancy in summer. At this point many people discard their plant. You can encourage the plant to flower again the following winter, however, if you allow the plant to follow its natural growth cycle, reduce watering in summer while it rests.
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