Cyclamen bloom and ripening sequence

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:14:43 PDT
Recently there was discussion here about the flowering sequence of Cyclamen 
species in various regions. While indexing back issues of the ARGS Bulletin 
(predecessor to Rock Garden Quarterly), I came across the following table, 
which is helpful because it shows when seed of the various kinds is 
harvested. These data came from J. Leon Sealey of Seattle, Washington, and 
were published in 1964. I've changed old synonyms to current ones.

Cyclamen sp.		Bloom		Seed
purpurascens		Aug-May	July
hederifolium		Sept-Nov	July
africanum		Sept-Nov	July
graecum		Sept-Oct	July
cyprium		Sept-Oct	July
rohlfsianum		Sept-Nov	July
cilicium		Oct-Dec	June
alpinum		Nov-Jan		June
coum			Nov-Mar	June
libanoticum		Feb-Mar	July
pseudibericum		Feb-Mar	July
persicum		Jan-Apr		July
balearicum		Mar-Apr		July
repandum		Apr-May	July
creticum		Apr-May	July

I've grown all these species except C. cyprium and C. balearicum and I find 
that in a similar climate to the one reported on, bloom times are similar 
but sometimes later in the spring. No doubt Sealey had some of these under 
glass. The interesting thing, and something most growers also find, is that 
no matter when the flowers appear, the seeds all tend to ripen about the 
same time, early to midsummer. I wonder if this has been influenced 
evolutionarily by the heightened activity of ants (which distribute the 
seeds) at this season?

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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