After the cyclamen flowers have died between February and March, the fruits with the seeds they contain form. But what do the seeds look like, when do they ripen and how are they sown?
What do cyclamen seeds look like and when should they be sown?
Cyclamen seeds are tiny, brown-red grains that ripen between June and July. They are located in flattened, brown capsules. To sow the seeds yourself, they should be sown immediately after they have ripened and dried beforehand. The germination temperature is 15 to 20 °C.
Seed ripening time
The seeds are ripe between June and July. During the ripening period, the appearance of the perennial leaves more and more to be desired. She is approaching her rest period in the summer.
External characteristics of seeds
The seeds are tiny. They are located in brown and flattened capsules. They are brown-red in color and have a jelly-like appearance due to their slightly translucent surface. Their shape can vary greatly from oval, egg-shaped to rounded or angular.
Self-sowing is not a foreign word
The cyclamen likes to multiply by self-sowing. Some species have stems that bend downward toward the ground after the fruit has ripened. There they are partly 'drilled' into the earth. The seeds are sown by the plant itself.
Otherwise the ripe fruits will open and the seeds they contain will fall out. As a rule, there are plenty of seeds available if the cyclamen is outside in the garden and has been pollinated by insects. An advantage, but also a disadvantage, can be that the plants that emerge from the seed have different properties than the mother plant.
Use the seeds to propagate at home
You should sow the seeds immediately after they ripen between June and July. Then they are best able to germinate. But be careful: you should let the seeds dry before sowing. They have a slimy shell that breaks down when it dries. This makes the later germination process easier.
So it continues:
- Soak seeds for 24 hours
- Fill the seed tray or pot with soil
- Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep (cover with soil, as they germinate in the dark)
- keep moist (no cover necessary)
- ideal germination temperature: 15 to 20 °C
- Germination time: 3 weeks to 2 months
- later bright and warm e.g. B. on the north window
- protect outside in the first winter
Tips & Tricks
If you want your cyclamen to sow itself, you must not pluck or even remove the wilted flowers after they have bloomed.
