Another Look at Cyclamen
Subject:
Kansas State University
Abstract:
Cyclamen is a crop that I haven't seen enough of lately—itgraces neither the shop windows ofretail florists nor the aisles ofgrocery and mass market chains in abundance. There are drawbacks to cyclamen production. The long production cycle (7-9 months from seed) makes the crop expensive to grow for our price-conscious customers. In addition, the cool temperature and intolerance to drying out, two criteria necessary for long postharvest life, may limit success among homeowners who have a tendency to place their purchases on top ofthe television in a dark corner oftheir living room. But cyclamen production may offer some unique advantages to our growers. While production can be timed to serve up potted cyclamen any time ofthe year, most crops are targeted for fall and winter sales. The flowers of red, pink, or white make this an ideal crop for Christmas and Valentine's Day, and even the later holidays ofEaster and Mother's Day. Cyclamen thrive under a cool temperature regime which results in lower heating bills during winter production compared to crops like poinsettia. However, this crop will also perform at higher temperatures (although flowering may be delayed), which can be related to the fact that it is native to the Mediterranean region. And, miniature cyclamen offer opportunity for production in smaller pots which requires less production space and a greater return on investment than a typical poinsettia crop.
Source: • Kansas State Universrtiy
Keywords: Germination Transpllanting Seed Sandpaper
Libraries: Floriculture