The Persian cyclamen. Reproduction and cultivation from seeds

People who are indifferent to houseplants are quite rare. Usually they explain their indifference with excessive employment. However, among the majority of even very busy people there are inveterate growers who can boast of delightful collections of all kinds of plants, often grown with their own hands. And one of their favorite plants is the cyclamen, which has about 15 species in nature. His homeland is central Europe and the Mediterranean.

Only two species are widely used in indoor floriculture: cyclamen Persian and European. The difference between them is in the size of the flowers: in the Persian variety they are much larger than in the European. A herbaceous perennial plant with a tuberous root is a cyclamen, its reproduction is not very difficult, but it involves knowing some of the nuances that must be adhered to in order to succeed in growing this beautiful flower.

This compact plant is distinguished by dark green leaves with silver pearl heart-shaped divots collected in a basal rosette, the cyclamen blooms not very large flowers, reaching a length of up to five centimeters, located on thin long peduncles and rising above a rosette of very attractive leaves. A variety of shades amaze: purple, red, pink, white, lilac, and, each color is represented in the spectrum of different in the saturation of tonalities. The flower is similar in structure to the butterfly, and as there are several of them above the leaves, the impression of a flock of butterflies fluttering over the bush is created. And if you take into account that the flowering falls on the autumn-winter period, poor in colors, then this is truly a fascinating sight.

Cyclamen: Care and Reproduction

Cultivation of cyclamen is practiced in two ways: by seeds and by dividing the tuber. But immediately it should be noted that the cyclamen is not recommended for propagation in the second way, since after the division of the tuber the plant quite often dies. Therefore, it is often propagated by seeds, especially since cyclamens grown in this way are better acclimatized in room conditions than "Dutch" hothouses.

Seeds are sown at the end of the summer season, when the temperature regime is kept within 15-20 ° C and after 15-18 months, most of the Persian varieties of cyclamen begin to please with its abundant and long flowering.

Cyclamen. Reproduction

To obtain seeds during the flowering period, artificial pollination of flowers is carried out, which is better to begin on one of the sunny January days. And this is done like this: the fingers fold, as if ready to make a click and several times make a click-like movement with the middle finger on the peduncle, it will be noticeable how the pollen will be poured out in the form of a weightless cloud, or shake the pollen from several flowers with a match on the nail and dab Pestle in the pollen in such a way that it sticks to the stigma.

Pollination is carried out for five to seven days in a row. If the flower is impregnated - it quickly fades, the stalk is bent and hanging down, a seed box appears in a few days. Cyclamen, the reproduction of which requires certain conditions (it must be kept in a well-lit place at a daytime temperature of 18 ° C, night time should not exceed 12-14 ° C) is very beautiful. Seed ripening period from April to May. When the capsule begins to ripen, it fades and cracks, so as not to lose seeds, the capsules are removed a little earlier and leave to ripen.

Cyclamen. Reproduction by seeds

It is believed that the seeds can be sown at any time, most importantly - the temperature regime should correspond to 15-18 degrees, but it is better at the end of summer.

• Seeds are pre-soaked for swelling in "Epin" or "Zircon".
• They are sown in a nutritious loose soil to a depth of 1 cm.
• The container before the emergence of the sprouts is kept in a dark place, not excessively waterlogging the ground, only by sprinkling as necessary.
• Maintain a temperature in the range of 18-20 ° C for a fairly long time period, approximately one to six months.
• When sprouts appear, the container is moved to a bright place, but protected from direct sunlight.
• In the phase of the first pair of leaves the seedlings are dived into separate pots. Young seedlings very quickly build up nodules and continue to develop, while they need to be regularly sprayed with water and with caution, very moderately, fertilize.

Cyclamen, the cultivation of which is a painstaking business, will start to amaze with its unique blossoming in a year and a half. As they grow, the plants are several times passed into pots of a slightly larger diameter, making sure that the tubers are not buried in the ground by 1/3, but over it.