Cyclamen graecum ssp. graecum

Lovely leaves Oron Peri seed source.

To quote the Scottish Rock Garden Club ..."

Not just a plant for this month but for most months from September till April. Most plants are cultivated for their flowers and C. graecum does have nice flowers, as do all the other cyclamen.

Why would you choose to grow a species which demands protection for winter wet and severe frosts when you can grow Cyclamen hederifloium in your garden very easily?
One reason would naturally be ‘because we are rock gardeners and folk don’t expect rock gardeners to be sensible.


C. graecum showing leaf variety


The real reason that it is worth taking the trouble to please I is because it has such wonderful leaves. Better than all other cyclamen and most other plants except Begonia rex. ‘Other cyclamen have nice leaves’, I can imagine you saying to yourselves but this beats them all for beauty and variety. No other cyclamen has leaves of such rich texture"

NB It is much colder there than almost all of New Zealand. So much good information on their website and the blog of Ian Young in particular.

From the Greek islands so probably not very hardy and  best with warm summer, so a sunnier spot. However, we are not that cold here and planting the tubers down about 4cm would be helpful as are a few shrubs or other cover overhead. The ordinary species is OK with me.