Cyclamen hederifolium (Ivy-Leaved Cyclamen)

Popping up in the fall garden when most plants have finished blooming, award-winning Cyclamen hederifolium is a perennial plant that creates a captivating sight when massed. Opening before or with the leaves, elegant nodding flowers, in shades of rich magenta to white, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), rise above the foliage in late summer to mid-fall. Sometimes fragrant, they are borne on 4-6 in. stems (10-15 cm) and feature gracefully, upswept petals, darker around the mouth. The variegated foliage is also decorative with its large, ivy-shaped leaves in shades of green, gray, pewter, or silver. Long-lasting, it creates an almost evergreen ground cover and adds color and beauty to the garden during the winter months and well into spring.