Previous plant

Cyclamen graecum

Next plant


These lovely flowers occurs in early autumn when the bulb have been bare for month, during summer. Later, the leaves emerges.


A group from KEW by Rafaël Govaerts, Powo.science.kew.org.

Author: Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link, 1934
Family:  PRIMULACEAE
Origin:  S. Greece, incl. Islands, W.+S. Turkey and N. Cyprus
Soil:  Mix
Water:  Medium
Sun:  Medium
Thickness:  10 Centimetres
Height:  20 Centimetres
Flower:  Pale Pink - Deep Carmine
Propagate:  Seeds
Names:  Greek Sowbread
Synonyms:  Cyclamen graecum subsp. anatolicum, Ietsw.
Cyclamen graecum
subsp. mindleri, A.Davis & Govaerts.
Cyclaminus graeca, Asch.

This member of the Primulaceae family was described by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link in 1834. It is found in the Southern part of Greece, including the islands of Crete, Aegean and more, in the Western and Southern part of Turkey and on the Northern Cyprus. It grows from September to November (or later) in all from deep pine needles to gravel. Some water and some to lots of sun. It has extremely variable foliage, and the flowers are from white over pale pink to deep carmine. It can only be reproduced by seeds, as fare as I know.

The genera name from Greek kyklos: 'circle' referring to the rounded tubers. The species name means 'from Greece'.

According to GRIN, it is a member of the Myrsinaceae family.

This is a winter-grower, or real early spring-grower.