Midi Cyclamen

Midi Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum 'Midi') flowers hardest when the rest of the garden has gone quiet. It stays under 20cm tall and about 25cm across, lifting long stemmed blooms in pink, red, purple and white above silver marbled foliage right through the cool months. The Midi series sits between the tiny florist minis and full sized pot cyclamen, the size most people want on a table or a doorstep.

Why you'll love it

• Colour through winter. It flowers when almost nothing else in a temperate garden does, from autumn to early spring.
• Small enough for anywhere. At 20cm by 25cm it fits a windowsill, a 150mm pot or the front of a border.
• Marbled leaves earn their keep. Even between flushes the silver patterned foliage looks deliberate rather than tired.
• Low maintenance if you leave it alone. Cool, bright, lightly watered. Most cyclamen are killed by kindness, not neglect.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A 150mm to 200mm pot is plenty. Tip the saucer out half an hour after watering.

Indoors, in the cool. A bright room away from heaters is ideal. Warm rooms shorten the flowering season.

Borders and edging. Set plants about 20cm apart along a shaded path or under deciduous trees.

Growing Midi Cyclamen in Australia

Position and climate. Bright light without hot afternoon sun. It is at its best in warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens: Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Hobart and the tablelands. It takes light frost only. In humid subtropical and tropical gardens treat it as a seasonal indoor pot rather than a garden plant.

Soil. Free draining and open. In pots use a quality mix with extra perlite, and sit the tuber with its shoulder just proud of the surface so water cannot pool on the crown.

Water and feed. Let the top of the mix dry between drinks, then water from below. A weak liquid fertiliser every fortnight while buds form is enough. Reduce water once the leaves yellow in late spring.

Grooming. Twist spent flowers and yellow leaves out at the base rather than cutting, which leaves no stub to rot.

What to expect when it arrives

Midi Cyclamen is supplied as tube stock: young plants with a small tuber and a few leaves, not a pot in full bloom. Expect to grow them on for a season before the first real flush. That is the trade off for the price.

They travel well because the foliage is low and firm. Pot into a 150mm container within a week, keep them cool and bright, and hold water back until you see fresh leaves. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider indoor flowering plants range for more colour through the cool months.
• Choosing the right size pot matters with a tuber that hates sitting wet.
• Compare edging options in plants for pots.

Common questions

Is it safe around pets?

No. The tuber contains saponins that are toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing it causes drooling, vomiting and worse in quantity. Keep pots up off the floor if your animals dig or chew.

Why did my cyclamen collapse?

Almost always water sitting in the crown, or a room that is too warm. Water from the saucer, keep the tuber shoulder above the mix, and move it somewhere cooler and brighter.

Does it come back the next year?

Yes, if you let it rest. Leaves yellow in late spring and the tuber goes dormant over summer, so keep it dry and shaded, then resume watering in early autumn.