How Do I Care for My Cyclamen?

We rank this plant care level: Average

These beautiful plants come from the Mediterranean & North Africa. Fun fact: Cyclamen flower centers actually face down, their petals opening upward as they bloom. Making it a sweet scene, if you have these on your patio; the little bees actually fly in upside down to pollinate. There are a few different varieties of this stunning plant, and thanks to it’s interesting foliage, you’ll find it is enjoyable even when it’s not blooming. If you’re wondering, how do I care for my potted cyclamen? We’ve got you covered with some simple steps below.

Cyclamen Basics for Best Results:

Light: Place your cyclamen in a nice spot that gets some natural light from a window. You don’t want them to be in full sun as this is too hot for them and can burn the plant. They will be happy to be in the shade for the better part of the day, but will need some filtered light to continue flowering.
Bonus: If you’re in Montreal, our North positioning help us. The sun isn’t too intense if you’re exposing your plant to a couple of hours of morning sunlight. They do very well on my North East facing balcony. Don’t forget, your phone has a compass if you’re not sure where your window or outdoor space is facing.
Temperature: Keep your cyclamen positioned out of drafts, heat from fireplaces, heaters, and air conditioning. It prefers a more temperate area that is dry and away from moisture. Bathrooms are not an appropriate room for a cyclamen as the air is too humid. We would also advise against a very hot room, where the plant is subject to frequent changes in temperature.
Water: Water your cyclamen once every week, and less frequently in Winter (roughly every ten days). It should stay moist but not wet. If the flowers are looking a little droopy, it’s good indication of when they are feeling a bit thirsty is. They should perk up once watered if this happens. Likewise, you could use our weight watering guide, to help you water more reliably. Your plant should feel medium-light before watering. Water it so it feels a medium to heavy weight. Do not water log the soil.

Long Term Cyclamen Care:

Trimming: Frequently check your cyclamen for tired flowers. If a flower discolours or is drooping remove it from the plant; simply by plucking from the base of the stem. This will encourage the plant to continue flowering as it no longer needs to provide energy to the dying flower.
Transplanting: Should the cyclamen look like it’s outgrowing its pot, do transplant them in something a little larger; that was a LITTLE larger, it’s rarely a good thing to transplant any plant into a much larger pot than they’re currently in. See soil reference below.
Fertiliser: Your can give your cyclamen a balanced fertiliser like 5-5-5, once every 2-3 weeks, or dilute a stronger concentration of the same ratio and feed less often. During blooming period you would switch to a 5-10-5, and as before, reducing and diluting if you have a stronger bottle dose. Confused about plant fertilisers, I put together some Plant Fertiliser Basics: A quick guide to understanding ratios & dosage.
Sleep: They typically go dormant in the spring. You can place them somewhere cool and let the plant’s corm dry out. Repot it into potting mix, and resume feeding midsummer. At which point you can start watering and fertilising again. They naturally bloom over the winter. However, commercially you can find them at unusual times of the year, so they may have a different rhythm at first; but nature tends to self correct.

Soil | Yes, It gets it’s own section:

Cyclamen soil will need these key features:

Good drainage: to avoid soggy roots
Light texture: to allow air to circulate
Slightly acidic pH: around 6.0 to 7.0
Nutrient-rich: but not heavy or dense

This is their Ideal mix, made in equal parts:

High-quality potting soil (preferably peat-based)
Perlite or coarse sand (to improve drainage)
Compost or well-rotted leaf mold (for nutrients and moisture retention)

Hack Version: Easy DIY Cyclamen Soil Mix🛠️

It can be hard to find specialty components like perlite or leaf mold, so you can also try this:

Use regular potting soil (preferably indoor or general-purpose)
Mix in a handful of coarse sand or even small aquarium gravel to help drainage
Add a bit of coconut coir or shredded sphagnum moss for moisture balance

Tip: Avoid heavy garden soil or clay, as it holds too much water and can suffocate roots.

Bonus Tips

Outdoors: Your cyclamens will love a vacation outside every now and then. Once or twice a week, to an undercover area protected from frost and drafts. Assuming night time temperatures are not dropping below 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit).
Yellowing Leaves: Should the leaves yellow on your cyclamen try placing them in a cool area for the night, it may be too hot where they’re hanging out. Likewise, if the cyclamen dried out too much, yellow leaves will follow.
Drooping Leaves: This can be tricky, so a little attention will go a long way. If the leaves are drooping, lift the plant, is it very light? The your plant is probably thirsty. If only some leaves or flowers are droopy, check to see, is it just an older flower dying? A broken leaf? Snip, snip. Lastly if the plant is rather medium to heavy in weight, at some point the plant was probably over watered; especially if you find mushy stems throughout.

With attentive care they are a beautiful indoor plant and relatively easy to look after if you understand what the plant needs. If you’re having trouble with planting and fertilising your plant, we definitely recommend heading to your local nursery to have a chat with a horticulturist and to have a look at what products they have to help your cyclamen thrive.

Otherwise, enjoy your cyclamen!

Vicky G

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