Leaf me alone…after the flowers fade

Long after the flowers of the fall flowering Cyclamen hederifolium fade, the foliage remains amazing all through the winter and into early spring before going dormant. Cyclamen ‘Silverado’ is one of many seed strains that are high on our favorites list for winter interest in the shade garden. In the midst of the leaves, you’ll notice the curly bronze tendrils. After flowering, the developing seed pods are protected by the floral stem, which curls tightly like a spring, where it remains until the seed are ripe, at which point it unfurls like a baseball pitcher from a wind-up, and propels the seed out into the world. We raise our cyclamen here from seed…a two year process.  Hardiness is Zone 4a-8b.