First unveiled at IPM Novelty Showcase 2026, Morel’s new flower Elixia represents the culmination of more than twenty years of research and commitment. “Far more than a new variety, this cyclamen marks a major milestone in the history of plant breeding.”
The story began in the early 2000s, when Guy Morel envisioned an ambitious project: creating an interspecific hybrid between Cyclamen persicum and Cyclamen purpurascens. It was a bold scientific challenge, as the genetic distance between the two species made success uncertain. The goal was clear: to combine fragrance, longevity, and a perennial growth habit, and to move beyond the limits of traditional seasonal cyclamen.
© Morel Diffusion
After years of experimentation, cross-breeding, and rigorous selection by the R&D teams, one hybrid stood out for its stability, fertility, and rare ability to express several key traits simultaneously. This hybrid became the foundation of Elixia, the first interspecific cyclamen bred from seed (Cyclamen persicum × Cyclamen purpurascens), now protected at an international level.
“My father was always convinced that cyclamen still had untapped potential. He believed that by crossing species with very different traits, we could open entirely new paths, far beyond the traditional seasonal cyclamen,” explains Héloïse Morel.
© Morel Diffusion
Elixia brings together characteristics rarely combined in a single cyclamen. It offers strong plant volume, dense evergreen foliage, and excellent performance in shade and partial shade, along with low susceptibility to botrytis. It also has a genuine ability to attract pollinators and contribute to biodiversity. These traits redefine the role of cyclamen not as a short-lived seasonal plant, but as a long-term garden and landscape component, suited for borders, flower beds, and woodland-style plantings.
© Morel Diffusion
The plant also features a naturally intense and long-lasting fragrance inherited from Cyclamen purpurascens, continuous flowering throughout the year with peak performance in spring and autumn, and a perennial habit with frost resistance down to –10 °C.
“What makes Elixia special is not just one feature. It’s the balance. Fragrance, durability, flowering continuity, and garden performance all work together in a coherent way,” says Héloïse Morel.
For more information:
S.A.S. MOREL Diffusion
2565, Rue de Montourey
83600 Fréjus, France
[email protected]
https://morelflowers.com/
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