9 Cyclamen Varieties That Bloom In Winter

Cyclamen, with their petaled pendants in white, pink, purple, and red, brighten winter days indoors and out. From florist varieties to hardy perennials, they offer weeks of color and handsome foliage when many other bloomers are resting.

Native to Mediterranean climate zones, cyclamen thrive in cool, wet winters and hot, arid summers. They awaken in fall, winter, and spring in what would be the wet season with cool temperatures. In summer, they enter dormancy, where they thrive with neglect in a dry-ish location.

Cyclamen persicum

	botanical name Cyclamen persicum
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 6-9”
	hardiness zones 9-11

C. persicum, or Persian cyclamen, are floriferous houseplants that brighten winter days. Right in time with the holidays, their prolific upright blooms above signature heart-shaped leaves bring a sweet note to the season.

Persian cyclamen are not cold-hardy below zone 9 and do well as indoor growers. The florist’s cyclamen became popular in 1600s Victorian gardens and conservatories when the greenhouse-grown selections blooming in winter brought cheer. Potted florist specimens remain the top market for cyclamens today, with hybrids that boast larger flowers and leaves and sometimes double blooms, miniature attributes, and fragrances.

C. persicum boasts a long bloom time—about three months—in the cold season. In bright reds, pinks, and pure white, the reflexed (curved back) petals twist and flutter. Dark green leaves feature silver marbling. They need a cool spot to prolong the display, below 70°F (21°C), as warm temperatures trigger “summer” dormancy.  Place them close to a window to experience cooler temperatures; an east or north-facing windowsill also offers bright, indirect light.

Cyclamen coum

	botanical name Cyclamen coum
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 3-6”
	hardiness zones 4-8

C. coum is cold hardy and perennializes as a woodland groundcover. Its petite leaves form a cushion for short blooms that cover the spread in late winter. Pinks, rosy purples, and whites sparkle in the understory, even among frosty conditions. Their compact size makes them well-suited as a container feature, indoors or out.

Also called Persian violet or Eastern sowbread, C. coum is a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit recipient for its landscape performance, cold hardiness, and ornament. Appearing from late winter to early spring (around January to March, depending on the climate), these accompany early bulbs like winter aconite, snowdrops, and glory of the snow.

Persian violet tolerates dry shade conditions. They grow and flower best in organically rich soils with good drainage. Slow to establish, starting with a number of seeds or plants helps start the colony. Indoors in a pot, keep them cool to promote flowering.

‘Maurice Dryden’

	botanical name Cyclamen coum ‘Maurice Dryden’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 2-3”
	hardiness zones 4-8

‘Maurice Dryden’ brings a soft touch to the display and stands out in delicate contrast to bright reds and magentas. Twisting petals are a lovely blush pink-white, rising on burgundy stems with deep red-purple mouths. Heart foliage has a pewter surface with dark forest green margins and central veins.

The shiny selection has Award of Garden Merit status and is vigorous among the species. For best survival during summer dormancy, plant it in a dry location. In a pot, water sparingly in the warm months. Protect it from high heat indoors for a winter show.

‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’

	botanical name Cyclamen coum ‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 2-3”
	hardiness zones 4-8

‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’ is a jewel with bright rose-pink petals and lighter silvery pink interiors. A magenta blotch punctuates the center. The bicolor tones sparkle against solid argent leaves with no venation. Purple-red undersides add to the complexity.

While small in stature, ‘Tilebarn Elizabeth’ is luminous with dense inflorescences that rise only four inches tall but create a sweep of color. The variety performs well in a container and with vigor in the woodland. Like ‘Maurice Dryden,’ it’s a good one to begin the C. coum collection.

In a container, remove spent stems as blooms fade to avoid diseases in an already full crown. In the ground, these perform well under a layer of leaf litter for off-season protection, leading to chilly-weather emergence.

‘Absolu® de Morel’

	botanical name Cyclamen persicum ‘Absolu® de Morel’
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 10-11”
	hardiness zones 9-11

‘Absolu® de Morel’ is a marvel of hybridization of tender varieties. A hybrid of ‘Victoria,’ bright white flowers have a hint of pink, and the real standout is their markings. A thin magenta edge lines each petal, and a blotch anchors the base. In a dense bunch, they create a full, tissuey display of ruffles.

As the cherry on top, the flowers are fragrant. Handsome leaves show a Christmas tree pattern, where silver patterning surrounds a central pyramid of green.

‘Absolu® de Morel’ has a flurry of miniature folded blossoms with an origami look on a uniform habit. A newer variety, ‘Absolu®’ performs well as a houseplant and brings a flair of the nontraditional.

‘Dreamscape™ Purple’

	botanical name Cyclamen persicum ‘Dreamscape™ Purple’
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 6-9”
	hardiness zones 9-11

‘Dreamscape™ Purple’ boasts large, showy, upright blossoms. In rich purple with magenta-red tones, the petals glow with the variations. ‘Purple’s’ attractive foliage is mostly dark green with silvery highlights.

The Dreamscape™ series tolerates temperature changes (down to 28°F or -2°C). It does well in the morning sun and dappled light without sunburn or scorching. The series features other delicious colors like deep burgundy, salmon, rose, bright red, and crisp white. 

Hardy only in warm growing zones, these cyclamen varieties perform well as an outdoor annual in addition to an indoor winter-blooming specimen. As bedding plants or in outdoor containers, they embellish the cool season in the shoulder between spring and summer and as temperatures warm in late winter.

‘Cyberia Dark Rose’

	botanical name Cyclamen coum ‘Cyberia Dark Rose’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4-6”
	hardiness zones 5-8

‘Cyberia Dark Rose’ has rounded, silvery leaves and a bundle of pinky-rose floral stems. From December to April, the small blooms appear continuously over the low, mounding foliage. In deep to lighter rose shades, the cheery flowers pop against their dark, pewter-dusted backdrop.

‘Dark Rose’ is a cold-hardy, perennial variety that performs indoors or out. The Cyberia series has ‘White’ with a purple mouth and pure white petals that open like little butterfly wings. ‘Pink’ has lilac-pink blossoms, and ‘Rose Silver’ blooms pinky-purple above argent leaves.

‘Meaden’s Crimson’

	botanical name Cyclamen coum ‘Meaden’s Crimson’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4”
	hardiness zones 5-8

Deep magenta-cerise flowers with white noses stand out among the rounded, pure green leaves of ‘Meaden’s Crimson.’ Foliage is plain or shows only slight mottling but is textural with deep veins. Like little lily pads, they’re thick and lustrous.

From winter to spring, the small flowers appear in a low spray of color. The intense coloration is richer and more purple than other coum selections, and the blossoms are smaller. The petite growers retain a compact, less spreading form.

Cyclamen alpinum

	botanical name Cyclamen alpinum
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 2-3”
	hardiness zones 5-8

C. alpinum is a relative of C. coum with similarities in foliage and form. Its purple-pink blooms are distinct, though, as they lay horizontally when fully open rather than reflexed and upward-pointed like other species. A central red blotch marks the nose of the little propeller petals. Leaves have silver-gray mottling around a central Christmas tree shape.