Cyclamen
A pinkish flower colour named after the Cyclamen plant
Cyclamen is a pink shade inspired by the flowers of the Cyclamen plant, which grows wild from Europe to Iran and Somalia. The colour takes its name from the plant's Latin and Greek roots, referring to the rounded tuber or coiled fruit stalks. Cyclamen flowers are valued for their upswept petals in pink, white or purple.
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- Cyclamen is a pink shade named after the Cyclamen flower.
- The plant grows wild from Europe to Iran and Somalia.
- Cyclamen flowers can be pink, white, or purple.
- The name comes from Greek for 'circle', referring to the tuber or fruit stalk.
What colour is Cyclamen?
Cyclamen is a pink colour, named after the Cyclamen plant, which has flowers in shades of pink, white, or purple. The colour is soft and sits between lighter pinks and deeper magentas. Cyclamen stands out for its floral origin and is often associated with the gentle, fresh look of the plant’s petals. The colour is not as bright as fuchsia but more vivid than pale blush.
Where does Cyclamen come from?
The name Cyclamen comes from Medieval Latin and Ancient Greek, linked to the word for 'circle', which refers to the plant’s round tuber or the coiled fruit stalks after flowering. The plant itself is native to Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Iran, and Somalia. Cyclamen has been known in English by this name due to its use in horticulture and its distinctive flowers.
Where Cyclamen is used
Cyclamen as a colour is used in art, textiles, and body products, inspired by the natural flower. The plant is popular in gardens and as a houseplant, and its flowers have been used in perfumery for their subtle scent. Cyclamen’s pink shade is chosen for its fresh, floral quality in design and decoration.
Pink around the world
What the pink and magenta family means from country to country.
The president's office in Buenos Aires is the Casa Rosada, the Pink House. A popular story says its paint once had ox blood mixed in, though this is not proven.
Politics and protestSource: Casa RosadaThe third day of the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground is Jane McGrath Day. The crowd wears pink to raise money for breast cancer nurses.
Protection and healingHopeSource: McGrath FoundationThe Rose Valley near Kazanlak grows pink damask roses for rose oil. The harvest in late May and June is marked by a festival and the crowning of a Rose Queen.
Nature and renewalFestival and celebrationJoySource: Rose Valley, BulgariaToulouse is called la Ville Rose, the pink city, for the soft pink brick of its old buildings.
Nature and renewalSource: ToulouseIn November 2003 protesters entered parliament carrying roses, and the president resigned without bloodshed. The change of power is called the Rose Revolution.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Rose RevolutionAt Holi, the spring festival of colours, friends and strangers smear each other with gulal, a coloured powder. Pink and red gulal are the best known shades.
Festival and celebrationJoySource: HoliShades and relatives of Cyclamen
Cyclamen flowers can be pink, white, or purple, and the colour cyclamen usually refers to the pink shade. It is sometimes confused with magenta or fuchsia, but cyclamen is typically softer and less intense. Other related shades include the pale pinks and deeper purples found in different Cyclamen species.
Colours that go with Cyclamen
Harmonies are worked out from the value #F56FA1. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Cyclamen
What colour is cyclamen?
Cyclamen is a pink shade inspired by the flowers of the Cyclamen plant. It sits between lighter pinks and deeper magentas, with a fresh, floral appearance.
Where does the name cyclamen come from?
The name comes from Medieval Latin and Ancient Greek, linked to the word for 'circle', which refers to the plant’s round tuber or coiled fruit stalks.
What is cyclamen used for?
The colour cyclamen is used in art, textiles, and body products. The plant itself is popular in gardens and for its scent in perfumery.
Are cyclamen flowers always pink?
No, cyclamen flowers can also be white or purple, but the colour cyclamen usually refers to the pink form.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Cyclamen", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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