Several species of the autumn-flowering Cyclamen can be seen in the Mountains House, including Cyclamen hederifolium.
Cyclamen hederifolium is the most widely grown of the genus Cyclamen, which comprises 23 species of tuberous perennials from Europe, Turkey, the Mediterranean, North Africa and Somalia. Previously considered a member of the primula family (Primulaceae) the genus now sits within the family Myrsinaceae. A native of southern Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus, C. hederifolium grows in shade from sea level to 1300m, and naturalises well in humus-rich, dappled shade. The tuber can reach 25cm in diameter, and becomes rough and flaky with age, and from this emerge the nodding autumn flowers with their five reflexed, or twisted, petals. The leaves emerge either with the flowers, or after them, and are highly variable in shape and pattern, ranging from the typical ivy-shape to a broad heart-shape, with distinct grey-silver marbling on a deep green background through to a plain, silvered upper leaf surface, as in this form.