growing sites include pine forests, oak thickets and open rocky slopes mostly on calcareous soils up to an altitude of 1000 meters. In the summer months, the high temperature and the dryness lead to the death of the aerial plant parts. The plants outlast the dry season in their shallow subterranean tubers. They then drift off again at the beginning of the colder season. Varieties and forms There are two natural varieties and several named forms, distinguished by flowering time and predominant petal color. C. persicum var. persicum (winter- and spring-flowering — all of range) C. persicum var. persicum f. persicum (white to pale pink) C. persicum var. persicum f. albidum (pure white) C. persicum var. persicum f. roseum (rose-pink) C. persicum var. persicum f. puniceum (red to carmine) C. persicum var. autumnale (autumn-flowering) Cultivars The following is a selection of cultivars. All are frost-tender, and best grown under glass in temperate regions: 'Concerto Apollo' 'Halios Bright Fuchsia' 'Halios Violet' 'Halios White' 'Laser Rose' 'Laser Salmon with Eye' 'Laser Scarlet' 'Laser White' 'Miracle Deep Rose' 'Miracle Scarlet' 'Miracle White' 'Sierra Fuchsia' 'Sierra Light Purple' 'Sierra Pink with Eye' 'Sierra Scarlet' 'Sierra White with Eye' Uses This species probably arrived in Paris before its first mention in 1620. Certainly, it has been cultivated since 1731 in France. The start of the variety breeding is dated to the 1860s, starting from England. The different varieties of it were created exclusively by breeding with variants of the wild species. An introgression of other species has not occurred. Cyclamen persicum has a dark-brown tuberous root which is semi-poisonous. In some cultures, the tubers were used in making soap, as they generate a lather when mixed with water. The Bedouins of Mandate Palestine used to collect the root, and after grating it, would mix it with lime and sprinkle it over the surface of lakes or other large bodies of water known to contain fish. These poisonous mixtures would stun fish, which would then come to the surface and be collected by the fishermen. Such methods, as well as fishing with explosives, which came into use in the early 20th century, were banned by the British Mandate authorities. Cyclamen are propagated by seeds. Seeds should be very fresh, seeds will not last long. Cyclamen are dark germs, so the seed is covered with soil and set up dark. The best germination temperature is . The