Bergenia

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Bergenia (lat. Bergenia) - an ornamental-leaved and flowering plant, representing the Saxifrage family. Its second name is badan.

Description

Bergenia is a low-growing rhizome perennial, endowed with rather large hibernating leaves. As a rule, its height does not exceed forty centimeters. And the rhizomes of this plant are branching and rather thick, invariably located near the soil surface.

Large glossy leaf blades of bergenia gather in pretty pretty basal rosettes. By the way, sometimes these leathery leaves are called "elephant ears".

With the onset of spring, bergenia blooms in every sense: beautiful bell-shaped flowers of lilac shades appear on it. Tubular flowers form spectacular umbellate inflorescences. And the fruits of this plant look like leaflets.

In total, the genus of bergenia has about ten species.

Where grows

The birthplace of Bergenia is considered to be the Sayan Mountains, Altai, the mountainous East Asian forests, the Trans-Baikal mountains, the Far Eastern hills and Mongolia. Quite often, bergenia can be seen in alpine meadows or on the rocky slopes of the Central Asian mountains.

Usage

Bergenia is widely used in landscape design - its hybrid varieties are especially popular, the decorativeness of which lies not only in their magnificent flowers, but also in luxurious variegated leaves. And this beauty is often used as a ground cover plant!

Endowed with bergenia and medicinal properties - in Tibetan medicine, its rhizomes have long been used to treat a wide variety of ailments. A decoction of overwintered bergenia leaves (regardless of whether it is hot or cold) is an excellent fortifying and tonic drink.

Growing and caring

Bergenia is a rather unpretentious and very winter-hardy plant, which develops equally well both in the shade and in bright areas. And the most decorative are the plants growing under the thin canopy of various deciduous trees.

Bergenia is very undemanding to soils, but nutritious and well-provided soil with moisture will be the best option for growing it. With regard to heat or cold weather, it tolerates both well enough.

During periods of drought, bergenia needs regular watering. If the leaves of the plant begin to shrink and fall off, this is direct evidence of a moisture deficit. However, this beauty also cannot stand excessive accumulation of water. And with the onset of spring, it must be cleaned of old foliage and shortened unnecessarily lengthened shoots. And about once every five to six years, the bushes of this plant can be divided. September is considered especially suitable for such manipulations. But the premature division of the bushes can lead not only to a slowdown in growth, but also to a significant weakening of flowering.

Reproduction of bergenia occurs mainly by dividing bushes or segments of rhizomes at the very end of the summer season. It is quite permissible to propagate it with seeds sown before winter. And with spring sowing, the seed material must be stratified. As for reproduction by rhizome segments, in this case, the rhizomes are cut in such a way that there are at least three buds on each segment. Most often, seedlings begin to bloom only in the third or fourth year.

Sometimes bergenia can be attacked by snails or various fungal ailments, but this happens extremely rarely.