Cyclamen - an ornamental plant that will decorate your home.
Due to the variety of colors, Cyclamen Persian can transform your home into a beautiful greenhouse and complement the interior.
This wonderful plant will be discussed later in the article.
Botanical description
Cyclamen in the wild dwells in the Mediterranean regions and in the northern part of the African continent. Natural conditions - with cool winters and very hot summers.
The vast majority of varieties of this plant blooms in winter, and in the hot summer, being stored up with necessary nutrients in tubers, is in a dormant period and sheds leaves. 
Due to the fact that the flowering of the Persian cyclamen falls on the winter, this flower is quite popular, since most of the other flowers rest during this period.
Persian cyclamen is most often grown for bouquets, since at home the period of rest lasts about 9 months, and the growing season and flowering - all the rest of the time.
Did you know? There are references to Persian cyclamen in 18th century French books. It refers to it as a feed for pigs. It turns out that pigs in the wild love to eat the roots of a given plant, digging them out of the ground..
This plant belongs to the family primrose. The herb is a perennial, has a round-shaped green leaves with silver patterns growing right from the root.
The flowers are medium in size, located on long peduncles, have a variety of (depending on the hybrid) colors. Peduncle reaches 30 cm, but at the moment dwarf varieties are bred, which look more neat and proportionate, and whose peduncles are not higher than 15 cm. 
The most popular Dutch hybrids of the cyclamen Persian "Super Series":
- "Micro" - this series is characterized by small flowers, abundantly sprinkling the plant, which are characterized by long flowering and have 17 colors.
- "Da Vinci" - has compact dimensions and is characterized by long flowering, has 9 colors. It is characterized by leaves with a silvery shade.
- "Verano" - a series of Persian cyclamen, which was created specifically for growing in room warm conditions. This is a dwarf plant that has small flowers and has 16 colors.
- "Compact" - the series is characterized by abundant flowering, which is long lasting and has 21 colors of flowers. Refers to a mini-series.
- "Original" - the series received its name for flowers with uneven color, has up to 16 colors. Very rich blooms, large bloom, the plant is quite dimensional.
- "Allure" - a series created for growing in indoor conditions, early blooms, has 14 colors.
Necessary conditions for growing
Due to the fact that special hybrids of cyclamen are cultivated for growing in room conditions, this greatly facilitates the care of the flower. But in order to achieve a long and abundant flowering, you must follow the rules that will help you grow a healthy and beautiful plant.
We recommend to get acquainted with the list of the best indoor plants for the bedroom, nursery and office, as well as a list of unpretentious and dangerous flowers.
Air temperature and humidity
Persian cyclamen prefers to be in an environment whose temperature not higher than 17 ° C in winter - that is, during flowering. During the rest period (summer) the flower will feel normal at a temperature of up to 25 ° C.
The humidity in the room should be average, lack of moisture has a bad effect on the plant, so take care of maintaining a humid microclimate. To do this, spray the air next to the flower or place the pan with the drainage component under the pot and periodically moisten the drainage.
Lighting for growing
The plant does not like direct sunlight (burns are possible), but prefers bright, but diffused lighting.
Important! If the plant is deprived of light, the leaves will turn yellow.
On the east window the flower will receive the required amount of light in the summer, and in the winter you can move it to the south window. 
Air quality
Persian cyclamen normally grows only in clean air. Gas waste or tobacco smoke is contraindicated. The room in which there is a cyclamen, it is necessary to ventilate often, so that the air does not stagnate.
Also, flower pots should be placed at a sufficient distance from each other so that they are ventilated from all sides and do not form rot. But when airing, make sure that the plant is not in a draft.
Reproduction: how to plant a flower at home
Persian cyclamen can be propagated at home. For this purpose, propagation by seed and division of the tuber is applied.
Seeds
The problem with seed reproduction at home is that almost all Persian cyclamens that are sold in stores are hybrids, and when they are harvested from seeds that are harvested, the probability of getting the same flower is very low. Therefore, it is better to purchase seed in the store. 
If you still decide to try to propagate cyclamen with homemade seeds, then you need to properly to pollinate a plant artificially.
The likelihood that something interesting will turn out becomes higher when you have several instances of this plant. From one copy it is necessary to transfer the pollen from the flower to the stigma of the flower of another copy with a soft stick.
Thus, the peduncle is pollinated and twisted, carrying the box, where the seeds will ripen, closer to the ground. From these seeds can turn out completely different instances of the plant, which will not resemble either the parent plants or even each other.
Seeds ripen about a month. When this period ends, the boxes open up, at which time they need to be sown. Sowing rules:
- before sowing, it is recommended to soak the seeds in “Epin” according to the instructions;
- soil for sowing should be pre-disinfected, for example, by steaming;
- peat and sand should be included in equal parts;
- you can choose any, which is, the container for sowing;
- for planting it is necessary to fill the soil in the container, make a depression of 1 cm and pour;
- sow the seeds at a distance of 2 cm from each other;
- cover a little with the ground on top and process with water from a spray bottle.
- the container is covered with a dark film; the germination of Persian cyclamen from seeds occurs at a temperature not lower than 20 ° C;
- periodically you need to air the crop and monitor the watering.
At home, the seeds can be propagated by plumeria, adenium, balsamine, aichrizone, weigela, geranium, aechmea, and room gerbera.
Seeds germinate a month after sowing, after that it is necessary to remove the film and place the flower on a well-lit window sill. Dive the plant is necessary after the 2 leaves appear. In half a year, the already strengthened cyclamens can be planted in separate pots of a small size (about 6 cm in diameter). 
Tuber division
By dividing the tuber, cyclamen is rarely propagated, because with this method very damaged tuber and there is no certainty how he will behave when landing. The reason for the damage is that the plant does not give tubers-children, which could be separated without damaging the parent tuber. Therefore, the only way of such reproduction is cutting the parent tuber into pieces.
Only old cyclamens are suitable for dividing, but the percentage of decay, regardless of this, is very large.
If you decide to propagate cyclamen by dividing a tuber, then you need to wait until the leaves die completely. After that, you need to remove the tuber from the pot and divide it with a knife into two equal parts so that they have roots and leaf buds. Cut off the side must be treated with any fungicide and coal, wait for drying. The landing should be carried out in separate pots.
Did you know? The first mention of the therapeutic properties of cyclamen tubers appeared in the IV-III centuries BC. er Georgian sources of this time describe how it was used in traditional medicine. Extracts from plants used in the treatment of snake bites, rheumatism and sinus.
Features care for cyclamen
Persian cyclamen is a flower that is not picky about growing and grooming, but after purchasing it is necessary to arrange comfortable conditions for it so that it adapts more quickly to living in your home.
How to water a flower
Cyclamen loves moderate wateringas the soil dries. Water should be carefully, without falling on the components of the flower. It is better to water by immersing the pot in water for 15 minutes, or pouring water along the edge of the pot. Watering is more abundant during the flowering period, and reduce watering to a minimum - when the plant is immersed in a dormant period. 
Top dressing
It is necessary to feed the plant both during flowering and during the development of the leaves. Fertilizer should choose any for flowering plants. Apply according to the instructions. Most often, the fertilizer is diluted with water, which is used for irrigation. Need to feed after the flower adapts to room conditions - in 1 month after the purchase.
Pruning
As the flowers dry, they must be pulled out along with the peduncle. This should be done with a sharp scrolling movement. Cut with sharp objects is not recommended. Leaves can not tear off, as they fall off independently when the flower is preparing for a rest period.
Important! Cyclamen is considered a poisonous flower, so be careful when caring for a plant. If you are going to contact with leaves, flower stalks or a tuber, use the seals.
Plant transplant
Replanting a young flower, which is up to 2 years old, is necessary every year, and adult plants are transplanted 1 time in 3 years. For transplanting you need to choose a pot a little more each time to ensure free space for the roots. But it is not worth choosing a too big pot, because it can badly affect flowering.
Planting cyclamen should be purchased in the soil for bulbous plants, it is worth adding a little sand to it. The structure of the flower has a feature: the roots are located at the bottom of the tuber. Therefore, when transplanting, the tuber must not be completely covered with earth, but so that the upper part is open.
Major Diseases and Pests
Main problem cyclamen is a gray rot lesion. If you do not follow the rules of watering or provide poor drainage, then the plant tuber may be affected by this disease.
Also, the Persian cyclamen can be affected by thrips, spider web and cyclamen mite, aphids. At the first sign of pest damage to a flower, rinse it with warm water. If the manipulation did not help, it is necessary to carry out the treatment with an insecticide, for example, "Fitoverm", - he is able to destroy spider and cyclamen mites, as well as thrips. The method of application must be read in the instructions for the drug.
Thus, the Persian cyclamen is sure to decorate your home if you follow the recommendations on caring for a plant and treat it from pests on time.
