Latinia Crispino Cyclamen

Latinia Crispino Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum 'Latinia Crispino') is a midi cyclamen, the size class between the tiny florist minis and the full sized pot plants. It makes a neat mound about 25cm high and wide, with silver marbled leaves and upswept flowers held clear above them. It does its best work in the cold months, flowering from autumn through winter and into spring.

Why you'll love it

• Colour through the cold months. It performs when the rest of the garden is resting, which makes it one of the few genuine winter plants for a pot by the door.
• Neat, contained habit. At 25cm by 25cm it stays in proportion in a small pot, a window box or the front row of a border.
• Foliage worth looking at. The heart shaped leaves carry silver marbling, so the plant earns its spot between flushes.
• Long lasting blooms. Flowers hold for two to three weeks in cool conditions, and a healthy plant sets successive buds for months.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. One plant suits a 150mm to 200mm pot. Cyclamen resent crowding at the crown, so give each its own space rather than packing several into a bowl.

Indoors in a cool bright room. Bright indirect light and cool nights keep it flowering. Heated rooms shorten the display considerably.

Borders, balconies and courtyards. Plant 25cm apart along a shaded path edge, or in a courtyard where winter rain does not sit on the foliage.

Growing Latinia Crispino cyclamen in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light with morning sun and afternoon shade. Warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens suit it outdoors. It takes light frost only, so in frosting districts keep pots under eaves, and in humid tropical and subtropical areas treat it as an indoor plant.

Soil. Free draining premium potting mix, or a raised bed improved with compost and coarse sand. Plant so the top of the tuber sits just proud of the surface, because a buried crown rots.

Water and feed. Water into the saucer or at the pot edge rather than over the crown, and tip out anything not taken up within half an hour. Feed fortnightly with a diluted liquid fertiliser while it is in leaf.

Pruning. Remove spent flowers and yellowing leaves with a sharp twist at the base rather than cutting, which leaves less tissue to rot. Let it dry out and rest through summer, then restart watering as new leaves appear.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied as tube stock, which means a young plant with a developing tuber rather than a florist pot in full bloom. That is the honest trade off: you pay far less and grow it on for a season before it performs. Pot it up on arrival and keep it cool and bright.

Because Latinia is a series grown in a range of colours, the shade you receive can vary. Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep flowering plants blooming longer
• Browse flowering plants for indoors
• Plants that perform in containers
• Choosing the right pot size

Common questions

Which colour will I receive?

Latinia Crispino is grown as a mixed series, so the colour is not selected at ordering. If you need one matched shade for a formal display, order in a single batch and expect some variation.

Why did it collapse in summer?

That is dormancy, not death. Cyclamen shed their leaves and rest through hot weather. Keep the pot dry and shaded, and water again when new leaves appear in autumn.

Is it safe around pets?

No. The tuber is the most toxic part and causes vomiting and worse if dug up and eaten, so keep pots out of reach of dogs in particular.

Why are the buds failing?

Usually heat, or water sitting in the crown. Move it somewhere cooler and brighter, and water from below.