Hello, human caretaker. I am your cyclamen. My drooping flowers and leaves are my only way to communicate that I am deeply unhappy with my current living conditions. It is not a natural state for me; it is a sign of distress. Let me explain the primary reasons from my perspective.
This is the most common reason for my despair. You are either giving me too much or too little of that precious substance you call water. My roots are very particular. If you flood my pot, leaving my feet sitting in a soggy, waterlogged mess, my roots will begin to suffocate and rot. Without healthy roots, I cannot drink or support my beautiful leaves and flowers, so they droop in sorrow. Conversely, if you forget about me and my soil becomes bone dry, I become severely dehydrated. My cells lose their internal water pressure (turgor), which is what keeps me standing tall and proud. Without it, I become limp and floppy. Please feel my soil about an inch down; I like it slightly moist, but never sopping wet or desert-dry.
I am a plant that thrives in cooler conditions, much like my native Mediterranean habitat. I am most comfortable in temperatures between 50°F and 65°F (10°C and 18°C). If you place me near a hot radiator, a roaring fireplace, or in a stuffy, overheated room, I will wilt dramatically. The excessive heat forces moisture to evaporate from my leaves faster than my roots can replace it, and it simply stresses me to my core. A cool, bright room is my idea of paradise.
While I enjoy bright, filtered light to fuel my growth, I am terribly sensitive to the intensity of your sun. Direct sunlight, especially through a window, is far too harsh for my delicate leaves and flowers. It can literally scorch me, causing irreversible damage and making me droop from the injury. On the other hand, if you relegate me to a dark, gloomy corner, I will become weak and etiolated. I won't have the energy to keep my stems strong, and they will eventually give way and droop. A spot with plenty of indirect light is perfect.
You acquired me when I was in full, spectacular bloom—a show I put on for weeks, sometimes months. This incredible display consumes a vast amount of my energy. My drooping could simply be a sign that I am tired. It may be my natural cycle to begin entering a period of rest after such a magnificent effort. Many of my kind go dormant after flowering, where we withdraw energy back into our tuber (our storage organ) and our leaves may yellow and droop as we prepare for a long nap before regrowing.
I am also sensitive to the quality of the air I breathe. If I am placed in the path of a hot, dry draft from a heating vent or a cold blast from a frequently opened door, the stress can cause me to droop. Furthermore, I am very susceptible to ethylene gas, an odorless and invisible gas given off by ripening fruit (like bananas or apples). If I am near a fruit bowl, this gas can cause my flowers to wither and my leaves to yellow and droop prematurely. Please keep me in a place with good, fresh air circulation, but away from direct drafts and your kitchen fruit bowl.
