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Cyclamen

HenatronHenatron Posts: 37
in Plants
Hi, 
Wondering if anyone can tell me if there is a variety/species of cyclamen that is super hardy, enough to survive in the Cairngorms? I love them, but not found any in garden centres that survive really cold temps. (For context, the ground in my garden has pretty much been frozen for the last 6 weeks now, with temps as low as -13 a couple of times, and snow cover a lot of that time too - a ‘proper winter’ for once). Any super tough cyclamens that would survive tucked into the base of a hedge? 
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Cyclamen hederifolium is tough as old boots 
    https://www.cyclamen.org/plants/species/cyclamen-hederifolium/  (and much more attractive 😉)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @Henatron - the problem with many of them is that they sell the non hardy ones and people don't know they aren't hardy, because they often aren't labelled.

    Coum and Hedera are the types you'd need, but it may be a case of experimenting to see how well they'll do for you. Go to a specialist nursery to get the right ones. There's a good alpine nursery up here - I'll see if I have a link. 
    Both are fine here, and we've had weeks of frozen ground and temps to minus 9 and 10 without them being affected, so you should be ok if you get a good spot for them. Snow doesn't affect them  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Here you go - this might be of use  :)

    https://www.edrom-nurseries.co.uk/shop/pc/PLANTS-A-C-c196.htm?pageStyle=p&ProdSort=1&page=18&idCategory=196
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi @Henatron,

    I can fully endorse @Fairygirl's recommendation for Edrom.
    I live about an hour away from them and often went for a nosey round. Always came away with some lovely things. The plants are always well-grown and reasonably priced.
    I'm gutted that they have just decided to no longer open to the public, and are just doing mail order 

    I also grow hederifolium here in the Scottish Borders .... it can be pretty cold here too as we live in a frost pocket. They have spread around nicely and always put on a good show.

    Bee x
    image 
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • HenatronHenatron Posts: 37
    Grand, thanks. Bit of a mistake looking at Edrom's website - now I want dozens of things! Edrom's in a far milder part of Scotland than I am, but I'll perhaps try both Coum and Hederifolia and see if either survives. Thanks for everyone's advice!
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    I second @Fairygirl's advice to trial coum and hederifolium. In my old garden, coum did better (sandy soil, neutral), but in my current garden on heavy alkaline clay, hederifolium is much happier. Both are brilliant plants. Check out the forms with amazingly patterned leaves, too. Edrom is one of my favourite nurseries, and Longacre aka Plants for Shade is also good: https://www.plantsforshade.co.uk
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Don't worry @Henatron - it doesn't matter that the nursery is Edinburgh based.
    Hederifolum are more than hardy enough for the Cairngorms. Just make sure you're planting them in suitable soil for drainage  and in a spot that gets shelter from other plants.  :)

    Whereabouts are you - roughly? Most plants I grow here would be fine in places like Aviemore or Kingussie for example - I don't tend to grow much which would be borderline for up here - they're nearly all at least H4, and many are H5, as it's pretty pointless. I occasionally lose things if they can't withstand long periods at below minus 5 or 6, but that isn't very often.  You can check the hardiness of plants on the RHS site too.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • HenatronHenatron Posts: 37
    @Fairygirl I'm near Aviemore. Think I'll try both coum and hederifolium, as I have quite sandy soil. If both get on fine then it's a bonus! Thanks for your help :-D
  • shane.farrellshane.farrell Posts: 207
    I reckon Coum has the best flowers and Hederifolium the best leaves. Hederifolium is more robust than Coum and will elbow it out eventually apparently. Both are doing well here even at minus 7c last night. Tough once established. Try and get forms in the green after they flower. They settle better than dry firms although both do ok eventually. B&q here currently have nice Coum for £3 for a 12cm pot. I bought some bedraggled ones at end of last season for 50p each and they are great this year. The ones in the image below are from dry firms in only their second winter so not bad.
  • shane.farrellshane.farrell Posts: 207

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