THECOMMERCIALGREENHOUSEGROWER
•
FEBRUARY 2017
8
•
C
YCLAMENREVIEW
weeks.
Things havemoved on
indeed. Comparedwith the
choices available to growers
forty years ago, all the
modern series are sprinters.
Morel’smost recentmajor
series introductionwas of
Smartiz, in 2013, and seed to
flower times claimed are very
close to those for SeeWhy.
And24weeks from seed to
flower, 12weeks frompotting
1.5cmplugs to flower, are
claimed for Varinova’sMelody
Outdoors series, bred
specifically for the outdoor
consumer usemarket.
The sale period is quite
short, extending fromAugust
toOctober.With the arrival of
the six-colour SeeWhy series
on the scene, growers of
mini-cyclamen for thismarket
are increasingly spoilt for
choice. There is Midori as
well as SeeWhy from
Syngenta, and fromMorel,
bothSmartiz and the
benchmarkMetis series,
larger-floweredbut still in the
mini bracket.
FromSchoneveldBreeding
there is the silver-leaved
Super SeriePicasso series
and the green-leavedSuper
SerieVerano. The varieties
within each of these series
that are closest in flowering
time, flower size and habit
provide the range in the
Schoneveldmarketingbrand
VerandaSelections.
Varinova, aDutch company
as exclusively dedicated to
cyclamen asMorel, offers
growers threemini-flowered
series for the outdoormarket.
In its newOutsider series,
Varinova offers the consumer
a different visual experience.
Amongbreeding aims here
has been the selection of a
flower form closer to thewild
A
s a newmini-
cyclamen series
launched last year,
SeeWhy fromSyngenta
commanded the limelight at
a special presentation event
threemonths ago. A year
previously visitors to the
company’s autumn
cyclamen trials could also
have seen the new high-
speed series in full flower,
just 27weeks after sowing.
Market readinesswould
have been earlier, in around
25weeks.
It was around 35weeks –
after sowing that growers of
mini-cyclamenwere looking
at in the early 1980’s.
Visitors toEfford
Experimental Horticulture
Station trials at that time
were able to see coming
into flower the fastest-
moving varieties available.
The trials report reflected
keen visitor interest,
reporting flowering ‘in as
little as eightmonths after
sowing’. These newBritish-
bred varieties, theWye
Butterflies, outpaced themost
comparableDutch varieties
available by four to five
Cyclamen for the outdoormarket
This review from John Sutton focuses on cyclamen for the outdoor consumer usemarket,
with a short season fromAugust toOctober.
SeeWhyPink andSalmon fromSyngenta, seen 27weeks after
sowing.
MetisMagentaDecora fromMorel, one of the 43OUTstanding varieties.
