Eastern sowbread 'Maurice Dryden'

Cyclamen coum 'Maurice Dryden' is a jewel of the winter woodland garden, valued for its ability to provide colour during the darkest months of the year. This particular cultivar is noted for its beautiful silver-washed foliage, with leaves often featuring a narrow green margin and a heart-shaped outline. In late winter, elegant flowers with upswept petals appear in shades of pure white with a faint magenta marking at the base. It is a diminutive tuberous perennial that is perfectly hardy (H5) in the UK. For the best results, plant it in a well-drained, humus-rich soil under the canopy of deciduous trees where it will receive winter sun but remain cool and dry during its summer dormancy. It looks most effective when massed together or nestled among Moss and Ferns in a rockery or forest floor setting. Once established, it can slowly self-seed to create a delightful naturalised carpet.

Sun: Partial shade.

Soil: Well-drained, leaf-mould rich soil.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Jan, Feb, Mar.