Cyclamen repandum

Tuberous perennial of the Primulaceae family, Cyclamen repandum is native to the Mediterranean basin, with a range extending from southern France and Corsica to Greece, including Italy and the central Mediterranean islands. It frequents shaded undergrowth, open scrublands, oak and pine forests, generally below 1,000 meters in altitude.

The plant is low, reaching 10 to 15 cm in bloom. Its leaves, heart-shaped to triangular, with irregularly toothed or wavy edges, dark green marbled with silver patterns, appear at the same time as the flowers and persist until summer. The flowers, bright pink to carmine pink, with narrow and highly reflexed petals, are among the most slender of the genus; they emit a slight pleasant fragrance.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from March to May. In cultivation, it blooms at the same period, bringing a bright spring touch under deciduous trees and shrubs.

It is the most frost-sensitive species of hardy cyclamens: it withstands moderate frosts but dreads too cold and prolonged winters. The tuber is placed at a shallow depth in well-drained, humus-rich soil, in shade or partial shade. The summer dormancy must be respected, as the plant completely disappears above ground until autumn.