Tianis Success Cyclamen

Tianis Success Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum 'Tianis Success') is a compact florist cyclamen that flowers through the cool months when little else in the garden is doing much. Plants hold to about 25cm tall and wide, with silver marbled leaves and upswept blooms carried well clear of the foliage. Tianis is a mixed seed series, so colours arrive across the white, pink, red and magenta range rather than in one shade.

Why you'll love it

• Colour through autumn and winter. It performs in the cool half of the year, which is exactly when pots and entries look tired.
• Neat and predictable. A tight 25cm dome that never sprawls, so it holds a border edge or a small pot cleanly.
• Foliage worth having. The silver marbling on the leaves earns its place even between flushes of flower.
• Low maintenance. Beyond deadheading and sensible watering it asks for very little attention.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. Three to five plants fill a 250mm to 300mm pot for a solid mound of flower. Choose a pot with free drainage, because cyclamen will not accept wet feet.

Indoors. A bright, cool room with good air movement suits it. Keep it off a heated windowsill, where the flower stems stretch and collapse within days.

Borders and edging. Set plants 20cm to 25cm apart along a shaded path or under deciduous trees for a low ribbon of winter colour.

Growing cyclamen in Australia

Position and climate. Bright light without direct midday sun, and cool air. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It takes light frost only, so in cold districts grow it in a pot you can move under cover, and in tropical and subtropical gardens treat it as a seasonal indoor plant.

Soil. A free draining premium potting mix, or a garden bed improved with compost and coarse sand. Plant so the top of the tuber sits just at soil level rather than buried, which is the usual cause of rot.

Water and feed. Water into the mix around the plant, not over the crown, and let the surface dry slightly between waterings. A half strength liquid feed every two to three weeks while it is in flower keeps buds coming.

After flowering. Leaves yellow and the plant goes dormant over summer. Stop watering, keep the tuber dry and shaded, then start again in late summer.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied as tube stock, a young established plant rather than a flowering gift pot. Tubes travel far better than plants in bud, and they let you buy the numbers a border or a run of pots needs. Expect first flowers in the season after planting, not on arrival.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Pot them on soon after they land and keep them cool and bright while they settle, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse indoor flowering plants
• How to choose the right pot size
• Compare plants suited to pots

Common questions

Is cyclamen safe around cats and dogs?

No. The tuber in particular is toxic to pets, and chewing it can cause serious illness. Keep pots up out of reach and choose something else if your dog digs.

What colour will I receive?

Tianis is a mixed series, so plants come across the white to magenta range and are not sold by individual colour. Buying several gives you a spread rather than a single shade.

Why have the leaves gone yellow in summer?

That is normal dormancy, not failure. The tuber rests through the warm months, so hold back water, keep it dry and shaded, and growth returns in late summer.

Can I grow it in a humid subtropical garden?

Only as a seasonal pot plant kept under cover. Sustained heat and humidity rot the tuber, so gardeners in warm northern districts should expect one good winter from each plant.