Cyclamen pseudo-ibericum

Cyclamen pseudo-ibericum is deservedly popular plant - mainly grown in Alpine houses in the UK though it might be ok outside.

It's also variable and I wanted to show on this post just how variable it is. The first one is probably the one we most often see.

it's Tecophilaea time!

Above the three classic forms of Tecophilaea, the first the type plant T.cyanocrocus, middle var Leichtlinii and finally var Violacea. I had to do a colour adjustment on the latter because my camera shows it alot bluer than it actually is. Still not got it quite right I think.

I've built these up over 20 years from single bulbs and their flowering is a brief highpoint in the greenhouse. Obviously I've managed to increase them but so far despite seting a far amount of seed I've failed to get any raised from seed.

New Frit - Fritillaria hermonis

 

It's  taken a while to get it but here's Fritillaria hermonis. From memory there was a much commoner plant, F. hermonis amana which was widespread in nature and cultivation but the type plant was much more restricted which is the reverse of the usual. The "amana" plant is now I think F.amana so sanity is restored. For now.

I've tried to get this a number of times since it became more common in cultivation but I lost one before flowering and seed hasn't done much. So this is my first flowering.

Looking at the pics it seems to be true but probably more importantly I like it and it's a bit different from the other Frits I have.

Cyclamen libanoticum

Cyclamen libanoticum is one of my favourite cyclamen species - it's just a wonderful flower. It's not so easy to get a good looking plant - if it gets warm the leaves start to yellow as it comes into flower. I've not got it to produce a profuse display as it's relatives C. pseudo-ibericum and C. cyprium. I know some people grow it outside but I've never tried.

I've seen a few slighly different looking ones (I have the Eliot Hodgkin form still hanging on) but generally the flowers don't exhibit the same variation in cultivation as most.

It comes easily from seed and flowers quite quickly and I generally find it best in it's first decade or so.