Bergenia Moench

Elephant-ear (en), Bergénia (fr)

Genus

Angiosperms > Saxifragales > Saxifragaceae

Characteristics

Herbs perennial, forming large clumps. Rhizomes creeping, large, thick, scaly. Leaves all basal, ± persistent, simple, waxy, often leathery; petiole short, broad, sheathing at base; leaf blade thick, margin entire, crenate, or dentate. Infloresences cymose, bracteate. Flowers showy, large. Sepals 5. Petals 5, white, pink, red, or purple. Stamens 10. Carpels 2, basally connate; ovary 1/4 subsuperior, proximally 2-loculed with axile placentation and distally 1-loculed with marginal placentation; styles 2; ovules many. Fruit a capsule. Seeds numerous, dark brown, small.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support -
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.5 - 1.0
Mature height (meter) 0.5 - 1.0
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light 4-9
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity 2-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-9

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions. Seeds needs stratification.
Mode divisions
Germination duration (days) 30 - 180
Germination temperacture (C°) 15 - 21
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment stratification
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -