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The Daily Insight

How do you care for indoor cyclamen

Author

Christopher Duran

Updated on April 26, 2026

Your cyclamen needs a cool, bright spot to thrive. Keep away from direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist but do not overwater – this is a common way to kill cyclamen. If you want your plant to flower again the following autumn, you will need to let it go dormant over the summer, reducing watering.

Why is my indoor cyclamen dying?

A One reason cyclamen wilt is lack of water. To rehydrate a plant, stand the pot in a saucer of tepid water and let it soak up moisture from the base. After a couple of hours, tip out any water left in the saucer. In heated houses, wilting is often due to high temperatures.

How do I keep my cyclamen blooming?

In order to extend the flowering of your cyclamen you will need to deadhead regularly and inspect the foliage for any faded leaves or signs of disease. To correctly remove fading flowers and foliage follow the stem all the way down to the soil.

How long do indoor cyclamen last?

In a small vase, cyclamen can last up to 5 or 6 days. Indoor pots flower for a couple of months.

Why is my cyclamen limp?

The leaves may go yellow or flop if too much water is given but this is often taken as a sign the plant is thirsty and more water is given, which makes the problem worse, often with fatal results. So, always wait until the compost feels fairly dry but avoid waiting so long that the plant becomes limp.

What to do when cyclamen finished flowering?

  1. Gradually cut back on watering when the leaves begin to wilt and turn yellow.
  2. Use scissors to remove all remaining dead and dying foliage.
  3. Place the tuber in a container with the top half of the tuber sitting above the surface of the soil.

How often should I water my cyclamen?

Cyclamen are a bit fussy about watering. It’s best to let the soil get somewhat dry between waterings, but not to the point of wilting. When the pot feels light or the soil feels dry just below the surface, water it thoroughly and let it drain. Pour out any water left in the saucer so that the soil doesn’t stay soggy.

Can I plant my indoor cyclamen outside?

Though cyclamen probably won’t enjoy being a summer houseplant, try growing them in a greenhouse, where glass will provide cooler nights. You can also put them outside during summer and early fall, then bring them back inside where they might bloom again.

Do cyclamen like sun or shade?

The tubers are actually just “resting,” and need only enough water to keep from completely drying out until new leaves emerge in the fall. They tolerate sun or partial shade, but need protection from hot sun in the afternoons.

What temperature do cyclamen like?

Environmental Needs: Indoor cyclamen plants prefer cooler temperatures, but cannot tolerate temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature range is 55-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Cyclamen plants also prefer moderate humidity.

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Why do cyclamen go Mouldy?

Cyclamen are particularly susceptible to grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea. This causes a grey fuzzy mould on infected plant parts, and also attacks the stalks of developing leaves and flowers, causing them to collapse.

How do you revive an overwatered cyclamen?

Since the cyclamen rises from tubers, remove the plant from the original soil and rinse the tubers to remove any soft spots that may have sprouted because of an abundance of water. Once the tubers are fortified, replant them in the fresh soil and put the plant in a cool room where it can bathe in plenty of sunlight.

Should I repot my cyclamen?

Cyclamen should be repotted every two years. You can repot while the plant is dormant in the summer with fresh potting mix and a slightly larger pot. … Fill the new container partway with potting soil. Then, lift the tuber out of the original pot, and brush off the old soil but don’t rinse it.

Why do cyclamen flowers turn brown?

Too much sunlight will lead to sun scorch, with typical signs including browning or crispy leaves, dry leaf-edges, sunken leaves or stunted growth. Although too little light will cause over-watering issues, too much sunlight will negatively affect the plant as well.

Can you grow cyclamen in pots?

Outdoors. They can be used in hanging baskets and containers or planted into the ground. They don’t like heavy rain and strong winds so would appreciate a sheltered site in dappled shade with dry soil.

How do you take care of a cyclamen in the summer?

In theory, cyclamen should become dormant in summer. As the weather warms, flowering stops and the leaves turn yellow. This is a sign that the plant wants to rest, so stop watering! To keep it dry, sit your plant on a windowsill, or on a covered balcony.

Why do cyclamen leaves turn yellow?

When leaves are turning yellow on cyclamen as summer approaches, it may simply mean that the plant is preparing for summer dormancy. … This allows the tuber to absorb nutrients from the dying leaves. Place the pot in the coolest room in the house for the summer months.

What grows well with cyclamen?

Hardy cyclamen are good companion plants with snowdrops, trilliums, ferns and other small, delicate woodland plants. It’s best to avoid planting them with large, vigorous bulbs as they will eventually smother the smaller cyclamen tubers.

Do cyclamen plants spread?

All very cunning and exotic, maybe, but cyclamen are easy to grow and when they are happy, they spread and flower and spread and … The leaves follow the flowers and so emerge either as deciduous trees are dropping their own foliage or when they are completely bare.

Do cyclamen multiply?

To grow cyclamen, plant tubers in early fall, about one inch deep, and six inches apart. Low mounds are their ideal habitat. The tubers do not multiply, but plants will self-sow, forming colonies. In summer the plants go dormant and need a little moisture to keep roots from dying back.

How often does a cyclamen flower?

Cyclamens are long flowering – usually from April through winter and into spring. Some are perfumed and they are available in a rich tapestry of colours ranging from white, to pink, red and mauve. They are among Jane’s favourite potted plants at this time of year.

Do you water cyclamen when dormant?

Plants learn to survive by blooming in winter or early spring and going dormant in the summer when moisture is scarce. With proper care, dormant cyclamen plants will reemerge in the fall. While they rest, cyclamens need dry soil and dim light. … Stop watering the plant when it enters its decline.

How do you control cyclamen mites?

Heat treatment. Cyclamen and broad mites are heat sensitive and can be killed if immersed in 110 degree F water for 30 minutes. These temperatures are generally low enough to cause little damage to most plants but water temperature must be maintained properly and the whole plant, pot and all, needs to be immersed.

Do cyclamen get aphids?

Crown has excessive plant hairs growing from the leaves. Leaves curl up on the edge. While this symptom may also be caused by Aphids, Aphids are clearly visible without a magnifying glass (measuring 1/16 to 1/8 inch), and they typically leave honeydew on the leaves, which is absent with Cyclamen Mites.