Ivy-leaved Cyclamen - Cyclamen hederifolium

Scientific Name: Cyclamen hederifolium (syn C. europaeum; C. neapolitanum).  

English Name: Ivy-leaved Cyclamen; Sowbread.  

French Name: Cyclamen napolitain (= 'Neapolitan Cyclamen); Cyclamen à feuilles de lierre (Ivy leaved Cyclamen); Cyclamen de Naples (Naples Cyclamen).

5 Key Characters:  

• angled heart shaped leaves, dark green with pale markings on top, purplish below. 
• leaves appear in September, after the flowers.
• flowers pink or white.
• flowers have completely reflexed petals ie the flower points down, but the petals fold back on themselves, forming a pentagon, and point upwards.
• once seeds formed the flower stems coil down towards the ground.
  

Lookalikes: Spring flowering species of Cyclamen, which rarely form large carpets the way the autumn flowering C. hederifolium does.

Habitat: Woods and shady places.

Flowering Period: August-September-October-November.

Status: widely present in gardens and woodlands associated with large gardens. Native to France, but probably mostly seen as a garden plant.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

In the grounds of Domaine de la Tortiniere, a 19th century chateau now a luxury hotel, at Montbazon near Tours, September.

Naturalised in the grounds of the Domaine de la Tortinière, Montbazon.

Naturalised in the grounds of the Domaine de la Tortinière, Montbazon.

Naturalised in the grounds of the Domaine de la Tortinière, Montbazon.

Naturalised in the grounds of the Domaine de la Tortinière, Montbazon.