This charming species can be admired in the Mountains House with a selection of other Cyclamen.
Comprising 24 tuberous species the genus Cyclamen belongs to the Primulaceae (primula family). Most members of the genus are distributed around the Mediterranean, with a few species occurring near either the Caspian Sea, or in Somalia. They occur in a range of habitats and conditions, from alpine screes to woodland and maquis. All species bear five twisted petals (corolla lobes), and usually kidney-shaped leaves, though these are diverse in their leaf margins and markings. C. mirabile is a Turkish species which grows at altitudes to 1150m above sea level in gritty substrate in partial shade in evergreen oak scrub, and coniferous and deciduous forest. The leaves of this species emerge in autumn and are highly decorative, having a distinct silver-pink marking and a pie-crust edge. It is from these that the species earned the specific name mirabile, meaning astonishing or wonderful in Latin. The flowers can vary in colour from white to deep pink, and usually appear in October and November. They produce a light coconut fragrance, and display the twisted corolla lobe typical of the genus.