Cyclamen coum

My advice to you, whether your garden is well-established or you're just getting started: don't wait to start cultivating your own colonies. These adorable gems of the winter garden are small and easy to work into your garden. They can be peppered about here and there. Establish them along your path edges, around the crown of perennials that you plan to cut back at the end of the growing season; they even tolerate the dense and dry shade beneath evergreen trees and shrubs!

"Outstanding Qualities
Cyclamen coum is one of the most delightful of winter blooming plants. This tuberous plant is native to the Mediterranean so it is summer dormant. Foliage begins to appear in late autumn and early winter. Silver-dollar-sized foliage can range from dark green to solid silver and will remain attractive well into spring. Flowers vary from white to magenta and a range of pinks. All have amethyst stained markings at the base of the petals. Flowers will appear as early as December with the main display being in February and early March.This is one the few plants that will tolerate the dense shade of Douglas firs and western red cedars, as well as the competitive, dry shade of beech and maple root zones. Cyclamen coum is drought resistant as it is dormant in the dry season. It will naturalize and spreads slowly by seed. The seeds are coated with a sugary coating that the ants like and will carry away and plant. It is excellent in combination with other early blooming bulbs, Helleborus hybridus (Lenten rose), and Helleborus niger (Christmas rose).

Culture Notes
This hardy winter bloomer will grow well in light to deep shade. Plant it in a well-drained or sandy soil. Once established it is drought tolerant. Seed is scattered around the garden by ants; watch for the tiny seedlings to sprout in late fall."—courtesy="" great="" plant="" picks<="" a="" ><="">