Heartleaf Bergenia
Bergenia cordifolia. SAXIFRAGACEAE.
Planting and Growing Heartleaf Bergenia
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow heartleaf bergenia in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of heartleaf bergenia
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for heartleaf bergenia
- Season of bloom and planting time for heartleaf bergenia
- When, how deep, and where to plant heartleaf bergenia
- How to plant heartleaf bergenia
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of heartleaf bergenia
- Landscape and container uses of heartleaf bergenia
- Comments about heartleaf bergenia and its features
Growing Heartleaf Bergenia
Several cultivars of open and spreading, rhizomatous, semi-evergreen perennial herbs, to 18 in. (45 cm) tall. Hairy, shiny, red becoming green, heart-shaped or round, wavy-edged leaves, 6–10 in. (15–25 cm) wide, in basal rosettes. Creeping rootstock forms slowly expanding colonies.
Leather bergenia, Bergenia crassifolia; purple-leaved bergenia, Bergenia purpurascens; Strachey bergenia, Bergenia stracheyi; and winter begonia, Bergenia ciliata, are closely related species with similar care needs.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Showy, deep pink, pink, purple, red, white, nodding, 5-petaled flowers, 3/4-in. (19-mm) wide, in clusters, to 16 in. (40 cm) tall, in early spring.
Best Climates
Hardy. Zones 3–8.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average–low. 6.0–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in partial to full shade, 1 ft. (30 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist until established; drought tolerant thereafter. Fertilize quarterly during growth. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for borders, edgings, ground covers in natural, shade, woodland gardens. Very cold tolerant. Nematode, slug susceptible.