Cyclamen africanum
Archive entry 11.08.19
26th February 2017
Many years ago (before the advent of obsessive record keeping) I was given a tuber of Cyclamen africanum in return for a favour.
At the time I was not unduly interested in the genus so I planted it out under a large Sycamore, and there it remains to this day,
not dying, not increasing. This in itself raises some doubt over the initial identification,the species comes from
Algeria and Tunisia and resembles C. hederifolium but isn't hardy.
Whatever the truth of the matter, I was offered another plant last year. It looks nothing like my original plant and I thought
it was worth a try in the greenhouse. So far I have lovely leaves. I have been told that it should have yellow anthers
compared with the rust coloured anthers of C. hederifolium and perhaps anther checking is a realistic
Cyclamen-based task for the coming year.
21st September 2017
31st August 2019