Other Names:  Ivy-leaved Cyclamen, Hardy Cyclamen, Sow Bread

Description:

Beautiful nodding flowers in shades of rose pink and white rise above interesting dark green and silver, ivy-like foliage in late summer to early fall; excellent for containers and rock gardens

Ornamental Features

Persian Violet features showy nodding rose recurved flowers with white overtones and violet centers rising above the foliage from late summer to early fall. Its attractive pointy leaves remain grayish green in color with distinctive dark green veins and tinges of silver throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Persian Violet is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Persian Violet is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Persian Violet will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round. As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.

This plant should be grown in a location with partial shade or which is shaded from the hot afternoon sun. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America.

Persian Violet is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.