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How to establish a big patch of cyclamen in a woodland

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  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    @Uff, I can promise you I have some very large Cyclamen corms, which i discover when I dig too close to them.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Uff I have seen one the size of a saucer, not as big as a dinner plate. They can live for a hundred years so I guess that is why some get so big?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited March 2023
    If you use a search engine "largest cyclamen corms images" you should get some photos.
    I just found a biggish hand sized image in someones blog.
    http://www.gardenshoponline.com/blog/?p=1182

    One thing to keep in mind is that C. coum is a gentler little thing compared to C.hederifolium.
    So if you wish to grow both for a longer flower season try to keep that in mind and give them separate areas. C. hederifolium are nice and will make a lovely display but can be a bit thuggish, in the nicest possible way.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Plant as many as you can afford and wait about 10 years :)
    Devon.
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    punkdoc said:
    @Uff, I can promise you I have some very large Cyclamen corms, which i discover when I dig too close to them.
    I don't disbelieve you @punkdoc, I just think they must be an amazing sight and I'd love to see one. Can one buy them from specialist nurseries I wonder?
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Some of mine are massive (maybe not quite dinnerplates though). I occasionally slice into one accidentally when they're dormant, but I just shove them back into the ground and they're fine.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    Crikey, I know I'm always saying it but we live and learn don't we @JennyJ?
    I need to see some now to satisfy my curiosity. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    @Uff , I've been meaning to move a few while I can see where they are, so ...

    These two are a fairly modest teaplate/saucer size, with a smaller (fist-size) one for good measure. All came up in one go before shaking some of the soil off. The oldest and biggest ones are underneath shrubs so I'm not trying to shift those.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    Thanks @JennyJ. Incredible. How long does it take for them to grow to anything like that size, @Hostafan1 mentioned 10 years?
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    To be honest I'm not sure how old those particular ones are. I planted a packet of the little dried up corms (probably from Wilko or similar), probably around 20 or more years ago, and they've been seeding around, between and on top of each other ever since. Occasionally I hoick some out and plant them somewhere else (well I say plant, actually it's a shallow scrape in the soil and chuck them in). I find them tough and not at all fussy, and mostly I leave them alone to get on with it.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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