Bergeniaspp.
If you ’re anything like I am , it ’s easy for you to fall in beloved with a raw plant , sometimes based on its picture alone .
For me , bergenia is such a plant . I discover it difficult to resist a glossy photo of those gorgeous prime and tantalizing leaves .
unluckily for those of us in warmer climates , most types grow good in cool Zones 4 to 6 , although many can be grown in quick positioning through Zone 9 .
B. ciliata
While some English gardener wax poetic about bergenia , these stunning plants are grown much less oftentimes in the US than they should be , considering their plethora of irrefutable attributes – not the least of which is that they are next to impossible to kill !
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This easy - care plant may help to literally fill a vacuum in many garden , and yours could be next .
If you do n’t like pink flowers , you’re able to select from red , white , and imperial kind , count on your preference .
This guidebook will key out how best to grow these non - crabby plant that will put up much anything but overwatering !
What You’ll Learn
What Is Bergenia?
Bergeniais a genus of 10 species of flowering perennial from key Asia and Siberia .
These are part that go from subfreezing in the winter to downright hot in the summer , and bergenia plants are well adapted to such climates . Their native home ground ranges in temperature from -35 to 115 ° F .
While these plant are commonly just holler bergenia , pigsqueak is an alternative name for them . It deduct from the strait that the leaves of some type make when rubbed between a pollex and index finger – like the squeal of a pig !
Less ordinarily , these plants are get it on as elephant ear ( not to be confused withColocasia ) , because the leaves of some cultivars are work like the ear of an elephant .
One name that is more common in Europe is Megasea , which was the scientific name for the genus at one point in time . Additional name let in Siberian teatime , and breakstone .
Cobbler ’s plant is another . Bergenia comprise high amounts of tannic acid , and cobblers used to apply the roots of sure plants to tan leather .
The plants make fantastic ground covers , with evergreen plant leaves in pleasing shades of dark super acid that twist reddish , bronze , or purple in the wintertime in cool mood , depending on the species or cultivar .
This is followed by sensational blossom in the recent wintertime to late spring , count on the grow geographical zone and variety .
These plant opt shade andwill grow under trees . They aretolerant of deerand lapin , and have few pest or disease problem .
Moist grease is prefer , but it must drain well . Overwatering is a major threat to these flora and one of the few mutual culprits that can kill them .
Bergenia spreads by short underground stems that acquire new plants , and another bonus of growing these is that they conquer almost all type of weeds !
Cultivation and History
Bergenia plants are very pop in Europe and have been train there for 100 of long time .
They are well travel botanically , according to Gerald Klingaman , retired Extension Horticulturalist for the University of Arkansas .
According to Klingaman , the plant first descend to prominence when roll up by David de Gorter , plant scientist and majestic MD at the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia from 1709 to 1762 .
De Gorter sent these specimens to the famous taxonomist Linnaeus , who line them originally as a species ofSaxifraga .
Taxonomy is perhaps the most disputative area of botany , and this plant has been through a turn of an personal identity crisis .
The German botanist Conrad Moench then named the plantsBergeniain honor of the German botany prof Karl A. von Berganin , noted in hisMethodus Plantasin 1794 .
That change did not solve the payoff , since other scientist reclassified them asMegasea , thenSaxifragaagain .
Finally , the poor plant received their final name ofBergeniain the 1950s , base on standard taxonomic criteria used at the meter .
The most coarse cultivate mintage isBergenia crassifolia .
When it was collected in Siberia in 1779,B. cordifoliawas think to be a raw metal money , but this is now considered a equivalent word forB. crassifolia . ( Today , you could bump plants for sales event by both name . )
German and English breeder create a number of hybrid from the other 1900s through the 1980s , many of which remain popular to this Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
Current breeding sweat tend to focalise on develop cross and cultivars that can handle heat better , to satiate the plant life luxuria of southern agriculturalist like me , who wish to grow these flowers in their full glory in a warmer climate .
Bergenia Propagation
The in force method of propagating bergenia is by taking class of existing flora , and many nurseries carry alive plants ready for transplant into the garden as well .
Plants may also be grown from seed , though this is less coarse and requires more of an investing of time .
Some gardeners have reported achiever with root foliage cut as well , though this method is beyond the scope of this article .
From Division
fan out via rootstalk , or underground stems , ripe plants can become too dense in the middle over time .
Since you will typically need to part bergenia plants every three to five years , this is the sodding sentence to broadcast new plant life as well .
If the plants could give thanks you , they would , since the center die out after they have grown in the same smudge for a issue of year .
The good metre to divide them is after the bloom have kick the bucket back in the saltation , or in the fall .
Dig up the parent plant , being sure to dig deep enough to reach the bottom of the root mass .
separate it into three or four part with a sharp knife , taking care to cut each surgical incision of rhizome into one - and - a - half to two - inch lengths , each with several inactive buds intact .
Plant each division in its own pickle , spaced at least 15 inches aside at the same depth to which they were growing before , to give them place to spread .
If you are n’t ready to replant justly aside , you may also cut away any theme and foliation from the shared rhizomes , and partially bury them in perlite or compost in a tray with the buds present up , leaving the upper surface reveal .
Keep the cuttings humid by cover the tray with plastic or glass , and put them in a part shaded area that only receive indirect lightness with a temperature around 70 ° F .
In 10 to 12 workweek , the cuttings should steady down . When the new plant grow leaves , transfer them to pots or a glasshouse layer . They should bloom in one or two years .
From Seed
If you care surprises , you could economize the seeds from your plants to produce Modern unity .
To keep your own seeds , allow the seed heads to dry on the plant and slay them . bet for a structure that resemble a brace of bowling pin .
demolish it , and then collect the seeds . They will be very small , only the size of grains of rubble .
If properly clean house , the seeds can be stored .
Bergenia seeds gather up from gardens often give rise plant that look different from their parents due to crisscross - pollination , course create Modern loan-blend .
Only sow cum you hoard if you do n’t have your sum go down on produce one special type .
Cold stratify seed in a sealed moldable bag in the icebox for two week before planting .
you may implant them in your garden in the spring or fall . However , they are more likely to germinate if youstart them indoorsand transfer them .
The seedlings are more likely to rise in poriferous , sandy stain . Sow about four seeds per cell , or give them a few inches of blank planted in quarrel in larger trays .
Do not bury the seeds in the soil – they also need luminance to shoot .
To grow them indoors , expend sterile soil , preferably a starter mix . The grunge should be at least 55 ° farad , preferably 72 ° farad or warmer . Be indisputable to keep it moist .
Give them two to three week to spud before you start to concern about them . And be aware that the seeds can evolve unevenly , with some sprouting long before others .
Do n’t give up ! These seeds can take as long as six calendar month to sprout .
From Seedlings/Transplanting
transplanting seedlings into your garden after the last frost of the time of year .
Plant them about 15 to 30 inches apart in the shade , reckon on the requirement of your choose mixed bag , and water them on a regular basis until they are established .
If you are transplanting turgid plant purchased from a glasshouse , do so in the fall , or after they have finished flower in the spring .
set off with root - adhere plants in gallon - sized mess , since vernal flora take a while to get established .
Dig a hole that is doubly the width of the root ball , satisfy the soil in around it , and tamp it down gently but firmly , making certain that the surface of the transplant is even with the rest of the grunge .
Water thoroughly , and then water system again only when the territory is extremely dry , until the works settle in and start invest on new growth .
How to Grow Bergenia
Bergenia plants expand under large trees where many other plants will not grow , including walnut trees ! They areresistant to juglone .
grow tips vary depending on the conditions in your region , so be certain to heed the follow recommendations .
Warmer Climates
Bergenia often struggles with humidity in southerly geographical zone , and gardeners in warmer climates may line up that these coinage farm less vigorously than they might in cooler locale .
In warmer climates , such as that of Arkansas ( Zones 7 - 8a ) , implant them on the Union or northeasterly side of your garden , so they will receive some good afternoon shade .
Bergenia is perfect for a tincture garden in such climates ! Treat them likecamelliasandazaleas .
If you doplant them in full sun , use about two inches ofmulcharound the base of each plant . This will help foreclose damage to the roots from the warmth of the sun , and reduce the pauperization for frequent watering .
Be careful to avoid cover the crown of the plant life , or it could end up with crown rot .
If they are embed in full Sunday in a warm climate with no spectre , there is a dear chance that they will stand .
You could end up with shorter plants with burnt folio that look rust-brown around the edge . Even so , these plants will typically survive and keep scatter .
weewee sparingly when it is hot and humid , since overwatering is a major scourge to their existence . These works can develop base putrefaction if they are watered too frequently .
If you live in a spicy , dry climate , put two to three inches of mulch on the open of the soil to help keep the ancestor moist .
Cooler Climates
If you live in a nerveless clime , such as that of South Dakota ( Zones 3 - 5 ) , you could implant them in full sun without any pushback .
The flowers can be damage by cold weather , since the buds are less cold - hardy than the leaves . However , growing them near a windbreak can help oneself to keep this from bump .
Appropriate options include bowlder , shrubs , or ornamental Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or grasses .
In some cases , frost sensitive type such asB. ciliatamay be grown indoors as houseplant to avoid pic to severe wintertime weather .
Learn more about how to winterise bergenia in our scout .
Soil and Watering
estimable drain is a key factor to the selection of these plants – more important even than the amount of brightness that they receive .
While under - water plants may grow more slowly , this is much best than provide too much water .
The only time you should water is when the plants have become really wry .
One way you could tell whether the flora need pee or not is to delay the top inch or two of the soil for moisture . If it is ironical , piddle thoroughly , and then do n’t water again for a while .
think back : too little H2O is much good than too much .
take note that plants positioned in full Sunday will postulate more piddle than those growing in the shade .
Bergenia will tolerate a wide range of pH values – from acidic to neutral to alkaline . However , the plants will stand in soil that istooalkaline .
Do a soil test , avoid stain with a pH of 7.5 or above , and amend accordingly before plant if you have to .
Bergenia flora are at their best in moist , humus - rich soil . But these plants are not too fussy about what type of land they are grown in . This can let in territory that is sandy , loamy , or even heavy dirt with a lot of Lucius DuBignon Clay .
If your soil falls into the latter family , you should add some guts to it , to improve drainage .
There can also be an advantage to constitute bergenia in pitiable soil and areas of the garden with a lot of Sunday exposure . This can raise the majestic or ruby-red leaf color in the fall for cultivars such as ‘ Purpurea , ’ for example .
Growing Tips
Maintenance
Looking for a low care plant ? Look no further , because you have found one withBergenia .
There are only two things you need to do to keep these plants at their best :
1. Remove Dead Leaves in the Spring
If the leaves have been damaged due to a harsh winter , cut plants to the ground in early give .
Since these plants are evergreen , donotremove the leaves in the fall . The leaf are ask to protect the poll and boost the exploitation of next season ’s flower buds .
2. Cut Dead Flower Stalks to the Ground
If you do this as needed , your flora may reward you by send up new flower stubble !
This is well news , since each flower spike usually hold out only for a couple of weeks .
Otherwise , these are incredibly undemanding plants . They typically do n’t even call for to be fertilized unless the soil has very few nutrients .
If you wish , you could hold a slow - release fertilizer in the spring , when the plants have issue from sleeping .
Species to Select
In addition to the 10 coinage in theBergeniagenus , there are hundreds of cultivars usable . We have take some of the most commonly produce 1 to introduce to you .
B. ciliata
Also know as frilly or hairy bergenia , this indigen of Tibet and Afghanistan can rise in Zones 5 to 9 , and can withstand frost in the cooler role of this suggested range .
This coinage produces shiny gullible leaves that can develop to be near a foot across . plant have a scatter of up to four foot , and the clumps this species make are much less dense than those of most bergenia .
The leaves have the best color when grown in a sunny positioning with poor dirt , a visible focus response , although the plants prefer coolheaded and dampish wraith .
The expert atWashington State University Clark County Extensionstate that frilly bergenia is at its best when allow to spread under the shade of a deciduous tree , and consider it to be one of the best to plant as footing covers .
bloom grow on six - column inch stems and they are typically pinkish , although they can also be blank or purplish . And they are somewhat fragrant !
The only downside for this variety is that it is less brave , and its leaves can suffer frost damage . Some gardeners provide shelter for these plants during dusty conditions , since they are more tender than other diverseness .
B. crassifolia
Best known as heartleaf bergenia ( and sometimes wintertime blooming bergenia ) , this is the most commonly grown species . There are a routine of diversity of this plant life , many of which primitively herald from Siberia .
Synonyms for this species includeB. cordifolia , Saxifraga crassifolia , andS. cordifolia , as well as others .
The dark dark-green leaves are heart - shaped and wavy , with sparsely serrated tolerance . Their edge may turn reddened during the winter .
This is reportedly more likely to come about in the variety that develop from Siberia than in specie or cultivars from other parts of Asia .
The flowers are pinkish - purple , and they grow on 12- to 18 - inch stems that are positioned well above the leaves .
These flowers draw bees and other pollinator , and shaded boundary line and foreground plantings are recommend US for this flora in zone 3 to 8 .
Bergenia
you may ascertain plants listed asB. cordifoliaavailable from Nature Hills Nursery .
B. emeiensis
B. emeiensis , aka Chinese bergenia , is aboriginal to the Himalayas . Although the works was first formally collected in 1935 from Mount Emei , one of the four hallowed Buddhistic mountains of China , it was n’t bring up until 1988 .
It is only now becoming salient thanks to the efforts of Mikinori Ogisu , who introduced it to the West .
In line to most other types of bergenia , it prefers shady conditions even in warmer growing zone , with grunge rich in hummus .
The leaves are foresightful than they are wide and pale light-green in color , while the soft pinkish flower are slightly spidery and droopy .
B. purpurascens
hump as purple bergenia , majestic pigsqueak , and winter red bergenia , this industrial plant has leave-taking that emerge purple before becoming glossy green . Its flowers can range from pink to red to purple .
This species is also commonly known as Chinese bergenia , not to be fuddle withB. emeiensis . Its rootstalk have been used in traditional Chinese practice of medicine to stop phlebotomize , and as a quinine water .
Well suitable to swear out as a ground cover version , bedding or mete plant , or as an understory plant in woodlands , the RHS contribute its prestigious Award of Garden Merit upon this species in 1993 .
At its sound in Zones 4 through 8 , it will tolerate precondition in Zone 9 , and is a recommended kind for theMidwestern and Eastern part of the US .
you may buy come forB. purpurascensfrom Hazzard ’s Seeds via Amazon .
B. purpurascensvar.delavayiis an evergreen variety with deep colored oval and vertical purple - bronzed to reddish stems , and leaves with an open habit .
The color gets brighter in full Lord’s Day , or when the weather is cold .
These plants produce deep pinkish heyday restrain in pendant - mold clusters .
B. stracheyi
Strachey ’s elephant ears , also know asB. milesii , is a compact evergreen variety with a clopping drug abuse that is winter audacious in Zones 5 through 8 .
It grows to intimately eight inches in superlative , and its oval fleeceable folio have hairy gross profit margin and plough crimson in the wintertime .
This species can spring up in full shadowiness , partial shade , or even full Lord’s Day in its recommended chain . How unfussy is that ?
The pink flower have a slight aroma and are borne on brusk stalk . They draw bees and other pollinator .
Want More Options ?
Be sure to retard out our supplemental guide , “ 25 of the sound Bergenia Cultivars for the Garden , ” to find the best alternative for your landscape .
Managing Pests and Disease
One of the good things about this plant is that it is seldom bother by insect pests and disease – or cervid and rabbits !
Insects
There is only one major pesterer of this works , and it usually only inflicts minor damage .
pitch-dark vine weevils ( Otiorhynchus sulcatus ) may eat the edges of the leaves , giving them a notch flavor . Affected foliage can be cut back in the leaping to clean up your plants ’ coming into court as the result of a underage infestation .
There is also some debate about how much of a trouble snail and slugs are to bergenia .
Some experts say that the older leave-taking draw in slugs , while others say that slugs generally leave these plants alone – particularly newfangled cultivar , such as ‘ pinkish Dragonfly ’ and ‘ Bressingham White . ’
If you see signboard of eating , look into outour guide to control punch and snailsfor help .
Read more about key and control bergenia pestilence here .
Disease
disease in bergenia are quite rare .
Bergenia can digest from fungous infections that stimulate spot on the leaves . In this character , the particular fungi involved ( Colletotrichumspp . ) are nasty unity that get the dreaded anthracnose .
luckily , this type of fungus leaves Bergenia comparatively unscathed .
Crown rotis a rarefied disease of bergenia , and it can be due to a number of dissimilar species of fungi and water molds . It may occur if mulch is employ to the top of the works , holding in moisture .
Infected plants may collapse and pall on the spur of the moment . This disease is usually incurable , so you should quickly remove any touched plants that initiate wilting , so the disease wo n’t spread .
Read more about identify and plow bergenia disease here .
Best Uses
How idea boggling is it that a works can be prized as a land coverandfor its use in mixed moulding ?
Well , bergenia is such a plant .
It is a vulgar basis blanket – in shady expanse or woodland garden in southern regions , and in full sun in northern part of the US .
It is the most centre - catching when planted in a group .
The plant ’s distinctive leave-taking and stunning flowers also contribute to its appeal for use in motley molding , implant in clusters at the front .
Bergenia even makes a adept container plant !
The fragrantflowers last for a farsighted time in vasestoo . Cut the flowers either in the other dawn or evening , and instantly commit them in water . The leaves are often used in flowered arrangements as well .
In addition , reduce flowers can be dried and preserve .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
A Good Plant for Beginners
How lucky for new gardeners in Zones 3 to 9 that Bergenia grows so easily !
With its attractive foliage and pretty flowers , offer multi - time of year pastime from former spring to former free fall , it ’s hard to lose with this flora .
It will grow in acidic , neutral , and gently alkaline stain , and while it prefers to be moist , it can tolerate drought once established .
Bergenia resists or tolerates almost all threats but overwatering !
We hope that this guide will inhale you to give this underused plant a prospect in your garden .
And for more information aboutgrowing flowersin your garden , see to it out these guide next :
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About
Helga George , Ph.D.
