Metis Pom Pom Cyclamen

Metis Pom Pom Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum 'Metis Pom Pom') is a compact double flowered florist cyclamen that reaches about 25cm tall and wide. The ruffled pom pom blooms come in a mixed range of pink, red, white and purple shades, held above marbled heart shaped leaves. It flowers through autumn and winter, one of the few plants doing anything worth looking at on a cold, shaded balcony.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers in the cold months. Cyclamen grow and bloom while most potted colour is dormant, filling the gap from autumn through winter.
• Double blooms on a small plant. The pom pom form carries far more petals than a standard cyclamen, so a small plant still reads strongly.
• Foliage worth having. The silver marbled leaves look good even between flushes, unlike most seasonal colour that turns scruffy the moment it stops flowering.
• It suits shade. Bright indirect light is what it wants, so it works in the cool, part shaded spots where sun lovers sulk.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A 150mm to 200mm pot suits a single plant, and three in a wider bowl gives a fuller display. Keep them out of hot afternoon sun.

Indoors. A cool, brightly lit windowsill is ideal. Cyclamen are one of the few flowering indoor plants that actively prefer a room on the cold side, and a warm living room shortens the display considerably.

Borders and edging. In cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens they work as a seasonal edge under deciduous trees or in a shaded bed, planted about 20cm apart.

Growing cyclamen in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light, never direct hot sun. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and tolerates light frost only. In subtropical and tropical areas, treat it as an indoor plant for the cooler months rather than a garden plant.

Soil. A free draining potting mix with good structure. The critical detail is planting depth: the top of the tuber should sit slightly proud of the mix, because burying it invites rot.

Water and feed. Water from the base by standing the pot in a saucer for twenty minutes, then tipping out the excess. Water sitting in the crown is the single most common way people kill cyclamen. Feed with a half strength liquid fertiliser fortnightly while it is in flower.

Dormancy. As the weather warms the leaves yellow and die back. This is normal, not failure. Stop watering, move the pot somewhere cool and dry over summer, then resume watering in early autumn to restart it.

What to expect when it arrives

This cyclamen is supplied as tube stock, so it arrives young rather than as a nursery pot in full bloom. Pot it up on arrival into a 150mm container and expect a season before it reaches flowering size. Buying at this stage costs a fraction of a finished plant and gives you a tuber that returns each year.

Handle it by the leaves rather than the tuber when transplanting. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse more flowering indoor plants.
• Find companions in plants for balconies.
• See the wider range of plants for pots.

Common questions

Is cyclamen safe around cats and dogs?

No. The tubers are toxic to cats and dogs, and the concentration is highest underground. Keep pots on a shelf or bench out of reach, particularly with a dog that digs.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

If it is late spring, this is normal dormancy and the plant is simply shutting down for summer. Out of season, yellowing usually means overwatering or water sitting in the crown.

What colour will mine be?

These are grown as a mixed range covering pink, red, white and purple shades, so the exact colour is not selectable. Order several for a spread.