Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia' — 9cm / 0.5L
Florist Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia'

£5.99
Overwinter under cover
Pot size
9cm / 0.5L £5.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia' does something no other cyclamen does: it turns its flowers to face you. Instead of the familiar nodding shuttlecocks, Illusia opens flat, cherry-blossom-like blooms of soft light pink with a darker eye and a distinctive bearded centre, held upwards in quantity over neat dark green leaves. Eight years of breeding at Schoneveld in the Netherlands produced it, and the awards followed: Best Flowering Houseplant at the HTA National Plant Show 2024 and Japan Flower of the Year 2023-24 among them.

Season and honesty about hardiness. It is a half-hardy conservatory cyclamen, rated H2: superb outdoors through autumn into early winter, tolerating temperatures down to a touch above freezing, but it does not survive being frozen, so it winters under glass. It flowers from September for months with deadheading. It is not a hardy garden cyclamen; for those, choose Cyclamen coum.

Where it fits. Doorstep pots and window boxes through autumn, then a porch, cool bright room or conservatory as hard frost arrives, where the upturned flowers keep coming into the new year alongside our other Christmas season plants. Water from below, keep it cool, and twist out spent stems.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Florist Cyclamen

Give me sun with a little shade and bring me under cover before the frosts.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Florist Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia' needs partial shade or full sun and well-drained soil. It is frost tender and must come under cover for winter.

Good for

Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H2 · Tender · down to around 1°C

H2, half-hardy: happy outdoors through autumn down to a touch above freezing, but killed by a freeze, so move it under cover when hard frost threatens. For cyclamen that live outside permanently, choose Cyclamen coum or hederifolium. See what to expect from outdoor plants.

Position

Partial shadeFull sunNorth-facingEast-facingWest-facingSheltered

Bright but gentle light: autumn sun or partial shade outdoors in a sheltered spot, an east or west windowsill indoors, away from radiators. Happiest at 15 to 18C.

Soil

LoamSandWell-drainedAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Free-draining peat-free compost in a pot with drainage, with the tuber proud of the surface. Never waterlogged; water from below or around the pot edge.

Watering

Water from below when the surface starts to dry, keeping water off the tuber; feed high-potash fortnightly to monthly in flower and twist out spent blooms and yellow leaves at the base. Read moreShow less

Water from below when the surface starts to dry, keeping water off the tuber; feed high-potash fortnightly to monthly in flower and twist out spent blooms and yellow leaves at the base.

Mature size

HeightAround 0.2m in a small pot (retailers give 20cm for small pots, up to 30cm in a 13cm pot)
SpreadAround 0.2m

Reaches full size in Full size in its first season

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

September into winter: masses of upward-facing light pink flowers with a darker eye, continuing for months with deadheading · Pink

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

No pruning: twist out spent flowers and yellowing leaves at the base (do not cut, which leaves rotting stubs). Deadheaded plants keep flowering for months.

Toxicity

RHS: potentially harmful ornamental, not to be eaten; wear gloves and wash hands after handling. Toxic to dogs and cats (terpenoid saponins, ASPCA); the tubers are the most toxic part, and large ingestion can be dangerous to pets. Keep away from pets and children. Never repeat retailer claims that cyclamen are pet-safe.

Native range

Bred in the Netherlands; the wild species is eastern Mediterranean

Family

Primulaceae

Also known as

Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia'

Genus

Cyclamen
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cyclamen Illusia hardy outside in winter?

No. It is a half-hardy conservatory cyclamen, rated H2: lovely outdoors through autumn and tolerant of cold nights down to just above freezing, but a freeze kills it. From late autumn it wants a cold porch, an unheated conservatory or a cool bright windowsill.

What makes Illusia different from other cyclamen?

The flowers face upwards. Every other cyclamen nods its blooms downwards; Illusia opens them flat and upturned, like pink cherry blossom with a darker eye and a bearded centre. That single trait took Schoneveld eight years of breeding and won it Best Flowering Houseplant at the HTA National Plant Show 2024.

How long will it flower for?

From September for months, well into winter, if kept cool and deadheaded. A cold porch or unheated room keeps the buds coming; a warm lounge above about 18C finishes the show in weeks. Coolness is the entire secret.

How do I water a cyclamen without rotting it?

From below. Stand the pot in shallow water for twenty minutes and let it drain, or water around the pot edge, keeping the tuber and crown dry. Let the surface dry slightly between waterings, and feed with a high-potash feed fortnightly to monthly while in flower.

Is cyclamen poisonous to cats and dogs?

Yes. Cyclamen contains terpenoid saponins and is toxic to cats and dogs, with the tuber the most toxic part, and it is not to be eaten by people either. Keep it out of reach of pets and children and wash hands after handling. Ignore any listing that calls cyclamen pet safe; the RHS and ASPCA say otherwise.

Can I keep it and flower it again next year?

Yes. Persian cyclamen go summer-dormant: let it dry off after flowering, rest the pot somewhere cool and shaded over summer, then restart it in late summer with fresh compost and gentle watering from below. Plants kept cool through their first winter regrow most reliably.

Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.

If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.

If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Cyclamen persicum 'Illusia'
£5.99