Different types of cyclamen are very generous with their seasonal treats. They delight with intensely colored flowers in the fall and carpets of intricate foliage patterns, then give us more brilliant flowers in deepest mid-winter. Indeed, they are well known for being some of the best winter plants for pots and borders, as well as providing indoor color and window box displays.
There are officially 23 different botanical species. These include hardy C. hederifolium that gives us the fall flowers, and C. coum which flowers in late winter. C. coum can cope with the coldest of winter weathers and still produce brilliant pink, white and magenta flowers as we move into spring. There is also C. persicum which is the source of the larger, blousier floristry types, for indoor growing.
With their preference for well-drained soil, cyclamen are also native to rocky alpine areas and are well-suited to gravel rock gardens and containers. If you catch the cyclamen bug, try growing some of the less hardy species in pots, so you can enjoy them up close and catch the fragrance of some of the scented varieties.
Cyclamen hederifolium flowers pop up from late summer, followed by striking leaves that act as ground cover over winter
In her years of gardening, Camilla has designed planting schemes for gardens large and small in and around London, written about plants and how to grow them, and worked on BBC gardening TV shows in the UK. She also works as a therapeutic horticulturist, teaching growing for wellbeing and mental health.
12 types of cyclamen for vibrant hues
There are plenty of cyclamen varieties to choose from, and many deliver profuse carpets of colorful blooms. Some of the best cyclamen also have lively foliage, with varying degrees of ornamental variegation.
They are very good at self-seeding and will quite quickly form a seasonal carpet of blooms and foliage in the right spot. They also grow happily in dry shade. Many hardy cyclamen are woodland dwellers and need well-drained soil with plenty of leaf mold and shade in summer. They are drought-tolerant plants and won’t need watering in summer, though they appreciate moisture during dry fall months.
Later flowering species like C. rhodium subsp. peloponnesiacum and C. intaminatum flower from July to November, while the Mediterranean cyclamen (C. purpurascens) flowers at the height of summer. So whether you are after swathes of color in the shade or the best plants for pots, choose the right types and you can enjoy vivid displays of these gorgeous flowers practically all year round.
1. Cyclamen coum AGM
Cyclamen coum AGM
- Height: 6in
- Spread: 6in
- Hardiness: US zones 4-8
- Color: Pink flowers
Cyclamen coum is the classic winter-flowering cyclamen. These types of cyclamen are sometimes called the Persian violet, with blooms appearing as early as December and continuing through to late March. The flowers appear at the same time as the rounded, lily-pad leaves.
If you’re a fan of garden color schemes that are predominantly pink, this is a hardy, easy-to-grow species, unperturbed by snow and frost. Brilliant pink blooms vary in color from sugar pink to darker magenta. A lovely choice for brightening up winter borders and containers in shade.
2. Cyclamen coum ‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’
Cyclamen coum ‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’
- Height: 2-3in
- Spread: 2-3in
- Hardiness: US zones 4-8
- Color: Pink flowers
This is one of the more unusual spring-flowering cyclamen varieties. It presents with reddish-pink and white flushed blooms in February and March, accompanied by rounded silvery leaves.
One for the cyclamen enthusiast after inventive container gardening ideas, C. coum ‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’ thrives in pots under glass. It is hardy and would also suit sheltered gardens, or containers and window boxes in partial shade, where its blooms can be appreciated up close.
3. Cyclamen repandum
Cyclamen repandum
- Height: 6in
- Spread: 6in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
This is a less-common woodland species, with flowers ranging from dark magenta pink to white. Blooms appear in late spring from April to May. The flowers are sometimes scented, and the heart-shaped foliage is usually dark with subtle silvery markings.
With its later flowering time, C. repandum makes a good companion for daffodil bulbs, primroses and forget-me-nots. Hardy to 23˚F, these are good types of cyclamen for sheltered, semi-shady gardens and woodland-style plantings.
4. Cyclamen coum white
Cyclamen coum white
- Height: 3in
- Spread: 3in
- Hardiness: US zones 4-8
- Color: White flowers
If you fancy something a little different, this is a bright white variation of the classic pink winter-flowering C. coum. The brilliant blooms look elegant on dark stems, appearing above dark green foliage, making it a good choice for a single plant display.
They are very hardy and ideal for growing in borders, containers and window boxes. Some of the best miniature bulbs you can grow, they will flower from December through to late March.
5. Cyclamen coum ‘Maurice Dryden’
Cyclamen coum ‘Maurice Dryden’
- Height: 3in
- Spread: 3in
- Hardiness: US zones 4-8
- Color: White flowers
C. coum ‘Maurice Dryden’ delivers a profusion of white flowers from January to March, accompanied by silvery, heart-shaped leaves. This is an exceptionally pretty winter cyclamen with a reputation for being very hardy. It naturalizes quickly in the free-draining, semi-shady conditions.
For anyone looking to plant a winter container, these will look great on their own in a container, or at the base of trees or shrubs with early flowering bulbs.
6. Cyclamen coum marble leaved
Cyclamen coum (marble-leaved)
- Height: 3in
- Spread: 5in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
If you are looking for winter garden ideas that combine delicate blooms with interesting foliage, this is one of the best cyclamen you can try. The pink flowers are accompanied by dark, rounded leaves with variegated silver patterning from December to March.
It is a very hardy type that will reliably self-seed once established to form a pretty carpet in areas of shade with well-drained soil. Plant under trees or larger shrubs for the most effective displays.
7. Cyclamen coum Pewter Group AGM
Cyclamen coum Pewter Group
- Height: 3in
- Spread: 3in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
This is another one of the most stunning cyclamen varieties to choose for foliage. While many types of cyclamen are worthy of planting for their foliage, this one has striking patterns that offset the blooms and make a charming feature in its own right.
The Pewter Group is so-named for the beautiful silver rounded leaves with just the slightest edging of dark green. It makes a stunning combination with the magenta pink flowers. Plant under silver birch trees for a great winter showing.
8. Cyclamen ‘Lysander’
Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Lysander’
- Height: 4in
- Spread: 4in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
C. hederifolium ‘Lysander’ is a great choice for the highly decorative foliage that follows the pink fall flowers. It provides a lovely tapestry of ground cover through the winter months.
This is one of the best cyclamen to choose if you are looking for feng shui plants to provide a still focal point. Its leaves are distinctive with deeply cut serrated edges, dark green with silver patterning.
9. Cyclamen hederifolium AGM
Cyclamen hederifolium
- Height: 6in
- Spread: 12in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
For cyclamen lovers looking for the perfect fall garden flowers, this species is the classic hardy cyclamen. C. hederifolium, also known as ivy-leaved cyclamen, will start producing blooms in August-September, when its rose-tinted flowers push through the soil.
The marbled foliage follows later to create a beautiful patterned carpet. Plant them under trees and shrubs and leave to naturalize as ground cover, or as a foil to dark evergreens like sarcococca.
10. Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Album’ AGM
Cyclamen hederifolium Album
- Height: 6in
- Spread: 12in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
C. hederifolium var. hederifolium f. albiflorum (previously known as C. hederifolium ‘Album’) is another excellent choice if you want plants for fall color as this is when their flowers hit their peak. This ivy-leaved cyclamen has white blooms followed by patterned leaves, providing good interest at ground level into the winter months.
This is one of the cyclamen varieties that will self-seed merrily to naturalise in free-draining, humus-rich soil. It looks great planted alongside its pure pink parent species.
11. Cyclamen ‘Silver Shield’ AGM
Cyclamen hederifolium subsp. crassifolium ‘Silver Shield’
- Height: 4in
- Spread: 4in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
This rare variation has fabulous foliage that follows brilliant pink fall blooms. The leaves of C. hederifolium subsp. crassifolium ‘Silver Shield’ are less ivy-like and more reptilian, with shield-like leaves bearing distinctive pale, silver-green colouring and scalloped edges.
If you like to grow ferns or Liriope muscari, you can grow these types of cyclamen alongside for seasonal textural contrast.
12. Cyclamen ‘Silver Cloud Pink’ AGM
Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Silver Cloud Pink’
- Height: 4in
- Spread: 6in
- Hardiness: US zones 5-9
- Color: Pink flowers
As another stunning example of the best cyclamen to grow for fall flowers, C. hederifolium ‘Silver Cloud Pink’ is hard to resist. This is a beautiful fall-flowering cultivar with pink-blushed flowers and shield-shaped silvery foliage.
These cyclamen varieties are also great news if you are looking for the best shade plants for your garden. They are guaranteed to brighten up shady corners with flowers from August through to November.
Which flowering plants suit different types of cyclamen?
If you are keen on companion planting, several of these types of cyclamen work brilliantly in tandem with other seasonal flowers. Winter-flowering C. coum combine perfectly with emerging snowdrops and other jewel-like early blooms such as winter aconites and hellebores. Winter-flowering shrubs like daphne or bare-stemmed wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) also look good underplanted with brightly colored cyclamen.
Later in the year, fall-flowering C. hederifolium look great in a woodland garden planting scheme, adding a burst of color at your feet to contrast with changing foliage above. Try growing them at the edge of a shady area, merging into drifts of colchicums.
How do I grow carpets of cyclamen?
Cyclamen are very good at self-seeding and spreading. Over time, they will naturally grow to form a carpet-like display of leaves and flowers. For the best cyclamen, grow in dry soil in partial shade. They are perfect for tucking in around the roots of larger canopy-creating trees and with the best shrubs for shade they create spreading ground cover. These carpets of color are particularly effective in woodland planting schemes and the edges of mixed borders.
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