Bergenia in landscape design. Growing bergenia in open ground Bergenia in the garden

Under natural conditions, bergenia prefers a temperate climate and rocky slopes, and it can be found in nature in many Asian countries, but recently this crop has begun to be actively used in landscape design. To do this, you can use both natural varieties and hybrids bred by breeders.

From this article you will learn what the bergenia flower is, what types and varieties are best to grow in the garden, and how to properly plant the plant in open ground.

Description of the bergenia plant

Bergenia is a perennial or annual plant(depending on the variety), and the height of adult specimens can range from 6 to 35 cm. The main feature of the plant is that it is evergreen, so it will be an excellent garden decoration not only in summer, but also in winter (Figure 1).

Figure 1. External features of the bergenia flower

The leaves of the crop are dense, leathery and dark green, and the shade of the inflorescences depends on the variety and can be white, red or pink. The flowering period begins in late spring or early summer, and after its completion, a box with seeds is formed in place of the faded buds.

Planting bergenia in open ground

Before planting bergenia in your garden, you should take into account one feature of the plant - it does not tolerate transplantation very well, so you need to think about its placement in advance so as not to move the bush in the future.

It is also desirable to create conditions for the culture that are as close to natural as possible. In other words, choose an area with a suitable soil type and lighting regime.

Illumination

Bergenia is a very hardy plant, and it grows successfully both in well-lit areas and in shade or partial shade. That is why you can use it to create original flower arrangements with shade-loving hosts.

Note: When choosing an area based on illumination, you should take into account that in well-lit areas the crop develops poorly and requires additional care, and in full shade it will not bloom, so it is recommended to choose moderately illuminated areas.

The best place for placement will be an area with rocky soil, and it is better to plant seedlings on the north, north-east or north-west side.

Soil moisture

Soil structure and moisture also play an important role in successful cultivation flower. Preference should be given to turf soil, but if there is none on your site, you can use a mixture of loam with compost and sand.

Soil moisture is also an important condition. The crop does not tolerate stagnant moisture, so it is necessary to arrange drainage on the site. When the planting site has been selected and properly prepared, you can proceed directly to planting.

Landing dates

Bergenia refers to unpretentious crops and has high winter hardiness, but in order for the plants to take root in the soil faster, planting dates must be observed.

The best time for planting seedlings is considered to be the beginning of August, but if you grow seedlings yourself and do not want to pick them, you can plant the strongest shoots in early June, and grow the rest and transfer them to the ground in August

Planting bergenia

The peculiarity of bergenia is not only in its winter hardiness, but also in the special structure of the root system. It is located horizontally and is weak, so it is better to plant in loose, moist and slightly alkaline soil.

In addition, it should be taken into account that the roots often protrude above the soil surface, so planting should be done in a semi-shaded area where the roots will not overheat and dry out (Figure 2).

Planting bergenia is carried out as follows:

1. In a selected and pre-prepared area, holes are made with a depth of no more than 8 cm.
2. It is advisable to place the holes in a checkerboard pattern, placing them at a distance of 40 cm from each other.
3. A handful of sand is poured into the bottom of each hole to act as drainage.
4. Next, the seedling is placed in the hole along with a lump of earth and sprinkled with soil.

Figure 2. Main stages of planting in open ground

After this, the seedlings need to be watered, but even after planting it should be taken into account that the development of the plant occurs very slowly, and when proper care it will bloom no earlier than in 3-4 years.

Bergenia care

Since bergenia is considered an unpretentious plant, caring for it, as a rule, is not very difficult. We will look at the main stages of caring for this crop (Figure 3).

Trimming

In the spring, after the snow melts, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning, removing all leaves damaged during the winter. It is also necessary to remove branches that have grown too much and disrupt the compact appearance of the shrub.

In the fall, pruning is also carried out, removing dry inflorescences that can weaken the plant. The plant does not require any other pruning, since the shrub itself is quite compact.

Watering and fertilizing

Bergenia is very responsive to fertilizers and fertilizing. The first fertilizer is carried out in the spring, immediately after sanitary pruning, introducing complex mineral supplements. The second time, fertilizers are applied two weeks after the start of flowering, since at this time new leaves begin to form on the bush and it requires additional nutrition. Kemira-combi is considered the best drug for this purpose (it is enough to dissolve a tablespoon of the drug in a bucket of water).

Regular watering is also an essential part of care, but the soil should not be allowed to be too wet. The first time watering is carried out during budding, then during flowering and again 3 weeks after its completion. However, it should be borne in mind that this frequency of watering is acceptable only in the absence of natural precipitation. If there is rain, you don’t need to water after flowering, and if the summer is rainy, you can do without this procedure altogether.

Figure 3. Preparing bergenia for winter

To retain moisture, it is advisable to mulch the soil around the bush. This requirement is especially important for young plants whose roots are not yet firmly established in the soil.

Wintering

Most crop varieties are resistant to low temperatures, but some hybrids and young plants may require cold supplementation. So, in the fall, seedlings need to be covered with spruce branches or dry leaves. Under such shelter the plants will be warm enough, and air circulation will prevent rotting of the roots.

There are also varieties adapted to climatic conditions middle lane. These species do not require shelter, but for additional protection it is not recommended to remove old dry leaves in the fall.

Reproduction

There are several methods of propagation - by seeds and dividing the bush. Each method has its own characteristics, so let’s look at each of them in more detail (Figure 4).

Seeds

Bergenia seeds are sown before winter. To do this, you need to pour soil into the box. flower plants, make shallow grooves in it (no more than 5 mm), located at a distance of 3 cm from each other.

Note: Each furrow must be watered and only then the seeds should be spread out and sprinkled with soil.

After this, the box must be taken outside and placed under the snow. At the beginning of March, it can be brought back indoors and stored in partial shade at a temperature of no more than +19 degrees.

Within three weeks the first shoots will begin to appear. As they grow, the seedlings need to be thinned out, as well as periodically ventilating the room and watering the soil when it dries out.

Figure 4. Plant propagation methods: by seeds and dividing the bush

Seedling picking is carried out in May, planting the sprouts in more spacious boxes. The distance between plants should be 5-7 cm (in a row) and 15 cm between rows. A few weeks before planting in the ground, seedlings must be hardened off by taking them out into the fresh air every day and gradually extending their stay in the air.

Dividing the bush

Dividing a bush is one of the simplest methods of propagation. The fact is that during the growth process the bush forms new rosettes with roots located close to the surface. They are easy to tear off from the mother bush without damaging it.

It is advisable to carry out the procedure before flowering so that the plant does not weaken, that is, from May to August. It is necessary that there are at least three buds on each young segment: only in this case will the sprout take root in a new place. All leaves except the three youngest need to be removed from the cuttings and planted in pre-prepared holes. The planting depth should be no more than 5 cm, and the distance between plants should be 30-40 cm.

Such sprouts take root very quickly, and within the first year they form a lush rosette of leaves, and flowering occurs in the second or third year.

Varieties and types

There are several varieties of bergenia intended for growing in gardens. Among them there are both natural varieties and hybrids bred by breeders (Figure 5).

Popular types of bergenia include:

1. Strechi- a plant with oblong leaves that persist even under the snow. The flowers are white or purple. Flowering begins in July or August depending on the climate.
2. Thick-leaved bergenia used not only as decorative, but also as medicinal plant. The bright green leaves turn red in autumn. Flowers can be white, pink-lilac or lilac-purple depending on the variety.
3. Heart-leaved variety can reach 40 cm in height. Distinctive feature- flowers are deep pink or lilac.

Figure 5. Main types of flower: 1 - Strechi, 2 - thick-leaved, 3 - heart-leaved

But the most common is considered to be a hybrid species, which includes several varieties. For example, the Abenglut variety has bright purple flowers, and the green leaves turn bronze by autumn, while the Frau Holle variety has white flowers and swamp-colored leaves.

Diseases and pests

Since bergenia refers to unpretentious plants, it is practically not susceptible to diseases and pests. But with improper care, namely with an excess of moisture, they can cause fungal infection. IN in this case the leaves become covered with brown spots, and a white coating appears on their underside. To cope with the disease, you need to remove the damaged parts of the plant, and spray the crop itself with any antifungal drug.

Among the pests, nematodes and slobbering pennies are dangerous for bergenia. The second type of pest is combated with Actellik or Aktara, spraying the plants twice. The fight against nematodes is more complicated: the bush must be carefully dug up, kept in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes and transplanted to a new place. The area where nematodes have infested is treated with insecticides, but it is not recommended to grow flowers or other crops on it for one year.

You will find more information about planting and growing bergenia in the video.

It will take 6 minutes to read

For landscaping personal plot It is convenient and practical to choose perennials that do not require complex care. The advantage of such plants is that once selected and planted suitable flowers, you can forget about sowing and transplanting for many years. One of these perennials is recommended to use bergenia in landscape design, a photo of which is unreasonably rare in photographs of flower beds and rockeries. It is rather known as a medicinal plant, but at the same time, bergenia is valued by flower growers for its decorative qualities.

Features of the plant

The natural habitat of the perennial plant bergenia is the countries of Asia and the Far East; it is widespread in Siberia and Altai. In the wild, specimens with white and pink inflorescences are more common. But thanks to the efforts of breeders, representatives of these saxifrages with red, violet, lilac shades of petals appeared.

Bergenia thickleaf

The average height of plant stems ranges from 5 to 40 cm. Therefore, in flower beds they can occupy the positions of both low-growing and medium-height flowers. The leaves are large, with a matte or shiny surface, collected in a rosette near the ground.

Advice. Bergenia grows well in sunny areas and in the shade. This feature allows you to use the perennial as a border plant in open areas, plant it on slopes or refresh it with them. decorative plantings conifers.

Varieties and types of bergenia

Modern varieties of bergenia are based on several wild plant species:

• Bergenia thick-leaved - reaches a height of 0.5 m. The tall stem is crowned with inflorescences strewn with bright pink fragrant flowers. The plant has a decorative appearance not only in the spring during flowering, but also in the summer. autumn period when light green leaves turn purple./li>

• Pacific bergenia - produces a tall thick peduncle, strewn at the top with small purple bell-shaped flowers. The large oval green leaves turn purple in the fall months.

• Bergenia cordifolia - on average grows up to 30-40 cm. It received its name due to the unusual shape of its lush foliage. The buds open petals of white and purple flowers, pink and purple shades.

Propagation of bergenia and preparation for planting

To decorate your plot with perennial bergenia, propagation is carried out by dividing the bush and sowing seeds.

Application in landscape design

When choosing a place for planting, it is important to consider that areas where stagnant water is possible are not suitable for perennials. Such conditions at subzero temperatures lead to freezing and inevitable damage to the root system. As for the composition of the soil, bergenia is undemanding in this regard. It grows equally well on clay and rocky soils.

Measures to prepare the site for planting include:

• digging the area to a depth of 20-30 cm;
• removal of weed roots and other vegetation;
• adding equal parts of humus, turf soil and sand.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

To quickly get flowering bergenia on your site, use propagation by dividing the bush. The optimal time for this procedure is the period from the end of May to the second ten days of June - immediately after flowering. The age suitable for division is at least 5 years.

Young perennial plantings

1. The soil around the bushes selected for propagation is loosened - this will make it easier to remove the bush from the ground.
2. Using a sharp sterilized instrument, cut the curtain along with the root into pieces.
3. The resulting sections are dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for several hours.
4. At this time, it is necessary to prepare the holes. The holes are dug about 10-15 cm deep, no closer than 40 cm.
5. Planting material is buried tightly and watered.

Important! Bergenia tolerates dry weather well. But during the rooting period, the perennial must be watered regularly.

Propagation by seeds

When it is not possible to propagate by dividing the perennial bergenia bush, growing seedlings from seeds will take a little longer, but the florist will be confident in the preservation of the varietal characteristics of the selected hybrids. Sowing begins in early March. For this:

1. A box or other container measuring about 50x70 cm is filled with a universal earthen mixture for flowers.
2. Make grooves in the soil no more than 0.5 cm deep at a distance of 3 cm each.
3. The depressions are watered with warm water and the seeds are laid out in them, crushing the soil on top.
4. Crops are left indoors at a temperature no higher than +18...+19°C.
5. Care consists of regular watering.

Seedlings appear after 3 weeks. You can transfer seedlings to the garden bed at the beginning of summer.

Bergenia cordifolia

Planting holes are dug about 5-7 cm deep at a distance of 40 cm. They need to create a drainage layer of sand and fill it with a nutrient mixture, which includes:

• turf soil - 2 parts;
• humus – 1 hour;
• su clay soil– 1 hour;
• sand – 1 tsp.

Reference. For the winter, young plants are mulched with peat or fallen leaves in the first year. In the future, stronger bushes will not need shelter. Flowering occurs no earlier than the third year after sowing.

Further care

Properly planted perennial bergenia will not require much time to grow and care for in the future:

• in the absence of precipitation in the warm season, bergenia is watered no more than once a week;
• to save decorative look When planting, it is recommended to remove weeds; for preventive purposes, row spacing is mulched with peat and humus;
• after flowering ends, remove dried inflorescences;
• in the spring, cut off the old overwintered leaves of the plant;
• In order for plants to develop well, it is necessary to thin out the bushes in a timely manner.

Important! After transplantation, the perennial takes a long time to take root in its new location. During this period, carefully monitor the condition of the soil, keeping it moderately moist.

Fertilizer application

In the wild, bergenia does without fertilizers, however, cultivated varieties have higher decorative properties and to maintain bright flowering, as well as the overall attractive appearance of the bergenia plant, planting and care in open ground includes not only pre-sowing fertilization of the soil, but also the application of fertilizing throughout life flower.

For this purpose, mineral supplements are used:

• in the spring they add to the beds universal fertilizer for garden flowers;
• In autumn, plantings are watered with a superphosphate solution at the rate of 20 g per bucket of water for watering 1 square meter. m plot.

Preparing for winter

Bergenia is frost-resistant. Under natural conditions, the perennial undergoes significant temperature fluctuations, from +30°C in summer to -40°C in winter. Therefore, an adult plant can do without shelter for the winter.

Badan in winter

In addition, such measures warm winters I can even harm the flower, which will rot under a layer of mulch and become a target for fungal diseases.

Medicinal properties

Bergenia, the medicinal properties of which have been valued in folk medicine since ancient times, can become indispensable assistants in health promotion. In addition to the fact that the perennial is used as a hemostatic, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory agent, it is used in cooking.

Tea made from bergenia leaves strengthens the immune system, has an anti-stress effect, and restores male strength. Rhizomes are added to soups and side dishes are prepared from it.

1. The rhizomes are cleared of soil and washed under running water.
2. The raw materials are cut into pieces 10-15 cm long.
3. The blanks are laid out on fabric or paper and left to dry in a well-ventilated area.

In contact with

In a spring flowerbed, one cannot help but notice large rosettes of lush green foliage, with bright pink inflorescences on dense, erect peduncles. This is an incense plant, planting and caring for it in open ground will not cause any trouble even for a novice gardener. But thanks to this unpretentious, eye-catching and very useful plant, the garden will truly be transformed.

Perennial garden varieties of bergenia come from those parts of Asia where other representatives of the green world would not be too comfortable. Plants settle not only in alpine meadows and lowlands, but also on rocky ledges and highlands. Such conditions “hardened” the flower, often called saxifrage for its endurance.

In landscape design, as in the photo, bergenia has found its place on alpine hills and near reservoirs, in group plantings with others decorative perennials. Mono-planting of this crop, which grows quickly and forms picturesque clumps of dense foliage, is quite common.

Growing bergenia and caring for it on the site will not make it difficult for the ever-busy summer resident. The main thing is to find a perennial appropriate place and create conditions for growth and flowering.

Where and how to plant bergenia?

The unpretentiousness, frost resistance and endurance of bergenia in nature are fully transmitted garden varieties. Therefore, even a beginner can grow them in his flowerbed. Like other perennial crops, bergenia is planted as seedlings or daughter rosettes separated from an adult plant.

But before you plant bergenia, you need to choose a suitable place for it. The crop feels best in areas with loose, light soil. Such soil helps the surface roots receive nutrition, oxygen, and also the moisture desperately needed by the bergenia.

When choosing a location, preference is given to areas where bergenia will not suffer from drought and direct sunlight, as well as from the proximity of spring stagnation of water. In partial shade the plant will be quite comfortable, but if the rosettes have to spend a lot of time in the sun, the soil under it must be mulched.

On the composition of the soil in bergenia special requirements No. It’s great if in the area where bergenia is to be planted, the soil has a slightly alkaline reaction. However, even on a slightly acidic substrate, the plant can adapt, bloom and reproduce.

Caring for bergenia flowers after planting

As soon as the snow begins to melt, bergenia leaves appear from under it. True, the foliage left over from last year managed to suffer over the winter.

Therefore, in the spring, care when planting bergenia in open ground begins with the removal of damaged or dead leaves. Next, complex fertilizers are applied under the rosettes, which are designed to stimulate growth and support the plants during flowering.

When the pink or lilac bells in the panicle inflorescences fade, the plantings are fed again. This time, fertilizers will restore nutrient reserves and accelerate the growth of rosettes.

Fertilizing is combined with watering or carried out already wet soil. Since bergenia reacts well to water, it must be watered:

• during the formation of buds and the appearance of flower stalks;
• after two 10–20 days, if there is insufficient precipitation during this period;
• in the future, until the end of summer if there is a threat of drought.

In the hot season, when the soil loses moisture due to evaporation and the roots may dry out, the soil is mulched. It is especially important to do this, as in the photo, when caring for bergenia after planting.

Propagation of bergenia

You can get young bergenia plants on your site by sowing seeds of the variety you like or by dividing an already grown plant.

Seed propagation of bergenia involves cold stratification.

The seeds sown in furrows with a depth of no more than 0.5 cm of the furrow are embedded in moistened soil and sent to the cold. Ideally, if the landing container is placed on open air and sprinkled with snow, which will maintain optimal humidity and prevent future seedlings from freezing.

In early March, the container is placed in a warm place, in the light, but not in direct sunlight. At a temperature of 18–19 ºC and high humidity, the seeds begin to swell and hatch in 20–25 days.

Caring for bergenia flowers after planting involves watering and carefully loosening the soil around the seedlings. If the tunnels are too dense, they are thinned out, leaving one plant per 3–5 cm.

45–55 days after sowing, the young plants dive, spreading them apart from each other at a distance of at least 6–7 cm. By June, you can determine the place where to plant the bergenia. But before this, the seedlings are hardened off, gradually increasing the period of stay of the boxes with seedlings by fresh air. In the first half of summer, the strongest seedlings are brought into the ground. The rest are transplanted in August.

Planting bergenia in open ground and caring for plants

The root system of bergenia is located close to the soil surface, so you should not make large, deep holes. It is enough to scoop 6–8 cm of soil and pour a little sand into the bottom of the hole as drainage. Since the plant will gradually expand its boundaries and grow, the interval between holes is made at least 40 cm. After planting, the soil is compacted and watered.

If most perennials bloom the next year after planting in the ground, then bergenia is in no hurry to show its inflorescences to the summer resident. The first buds are formed only after 2–3 years, but at the same time the bergenia is already forming daughter rosettes.

This is great planting material, which is easy to separate from adult plants in the summer, after flowering and before the first days of September. The rhizomes of such divisions are located almost below the surface of the soil or protrude above it, and even a beginner can cope with digging them out.

The plant should be divided so that root cutting There are at least three healthy kidneys left. Leaves are cut off from the seedlings, leaving a pair of the strongest ones. Planting is carried out to a depth of 3 to 5 centimeters. To ensure that the bergenia has room to grow, a gap of at least 30 centimeters is left between future plants. In the first month, fertilizing is not needed, but watering should be regular and plentiful.

With proper care, bergenia planted in open ground blooms a year earlier than seedlings, that is, in the second or third year after the start of independent life.

When to replant bergenia? This plant can last for a very long time without visible problems grow in one place. Therefore, transplantation is undertaken when required:

• limit the growth of bergenia on the site;
• on the contrary, obtain planting material for propagation from adult plants.

Uncontrolled spreading of plantings leads to their excessive density, which is fraught with diseases and the accumulation of pests.

Problems with growing and caring for bergenia

The most common fungal diseases found on bergenia are caused by overcrowding and high humidity. Signs of such infections appear on the leaves in the form of brown or whitish spots, blackening or necrosis of tissue.

The affected leaf blades dry out and the disease grows. You can cope with the trouble when growing and caring for bergenia:

• spraying with systemic fungicides;
• establishing care and watering regime;
• vacuum plantings to organize fresh air flow to the bases of the outlets.

Among the pests that damage the plant are slugs, nematodes and slobbering pennies. While insects can be controlled with insecticide treatments, worms pose a greater threat. Plants affected by them are dug up and destroyed to prevent the spread of the nematode. The area where bergenia grew is repeatedly treated with insecticides against soil pests, and then left fallow until next year.

Preparing garden bergenia for winter

Bergenias are frost-resistant, but in winters with little snow, some cultivated varieties may freeze. To prevent the curtain from looking bare in the spring and then not being restored for several years, it is recommended to insulate young plants that have not had time to fully acclimatize. This can be done using a thick layer of mulch, for which fallen and dried leaves, spruce branches, and high-moor peat are used.

Planting and growing bergenia - video

Bergenia planting and care in open ground

Green plants are especially pleasing to the eye in early spring when the primary colors and paints are still awakening. Bergenia or Bergenia is one of those plants that grow in open ground and appear green already from under the snow. It is also called Siberian tea. This plant is colorful, especially considering its early period flowering, bergenia will look organic near a small pond.

Bergenia planting and care in open ground - is it worth planting and is the process of caring for it labor-intensive? Find out everything about the properties of bergenia and other important things related to it wonderful plant, this article will help.

In addition to easy care and attractive appearance, it is good because it can live in one place for quite a long time. So you can forget about thinking about a new planting site and careful care. But what you shouldn’t forget about is medicinal properties bergenia.

Bergenia flower description. Photo

Bergenia refers to perennial plants, remaining green all year round. It has a dense and thick rhizome, slightly branched. The rhizome is located close to the surface. Bergenia leaves are large, round in shape, petiolate. The outer leaf blade has a smooth leathery structure.

Curious! Gardeners note the similarity of the leaves to elephant ears.

The stems of the plant reach a length of 30 cm in height. Bergenia flowers are goblet-shaped and located at the top of the stem, collected in racemose inflorescences. The color of the flowers is red, bright pink or white. The flowering time of bergenia begins in the spring and continues until the end of the growing season.

Badan types and varieties

There are different types of bergenia in the world, including:

1. Thickleaf (medicinal). As the name suggests, it is used in medicine. However, this does not exclude the possibility of planting this variety as an ornamental one.
2. Cordifolia. This variety of bergenia is popular among landscape designers. Gardeners like its high frost resistance, which is why the variety is widespread throughout Europe.
3. Purple. The leaves make it purple. Closer to winter they become crimson, provided that they grow on sunny place.
4. Pacific. This variety is also called multi-colored. It is similar to thick-leaved bergenia and replaces it in the Far Eastern territories.

Bergenia thickleaf

bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)

Purple bergenia (Bergenia purpurea)

B. pacific (Bergenia pacifica kom)

Among the usual varieties there are also hybrid ones. They are distinguished by their particular unpretentiousness. The best ones:

• The hybrid variety Baby doll is hardy, like all its brothers. It differs in the design of the leaves (green base with bronze-colored edging) and the color of the delicate inflorescences (they are lilac-pink);
• The hybrid variety Bressingham White is a small variety with perfectly white flowers. Named after the place where the variety was bred;
• Hybrid variety Silberlicht - like the previous hybrid, this one is short with reddish peduncles, and the flowers are pure white, turning pink over time.

Bergenia Baby Doll

Bergenia Bressingham White

Bergenia ‘Silberlicht’

Planting bergenia in open ground in the Urals

Choosing a place where the plant will grow is easy. Is it a sunny or shady place – it doesn’t matter. Bergenia is unpretentious, so it will feel good both there and there.

Important! Creating familiar conditions will ensure full growth and preserve medicinal properties.

After choosing a place, it is worth finding out what type of soil it contains. It is best to plant in a lightweight turf soil or soil consisting of a mixture of sand, clay and humus.

Important! Predominant clay soil, even diluted with sand and crushed stone, is not suitable for bergenia. Stagnation of water in the soil also negatively affects the condition of the flower.

The planting itself in open ground is carried out in spring or late summer. The soil is pre-prepared in three stages:

1. Weeds are being pulled out.
2. Dig a hole approximately 30 cm in diameter.
3. Fill it with water.

Next, the rhizome is placed in the prepared hole, sprinkled with earth and compacted. Often a small layer of sawdust or peat is poured on top of the soil layer.
The first watering after planting in open ground will be required after 5-7 days.

Important! Badan is growing in breadth. It is worth taking this into account in order to prevent “conflicts” with neighboring plants.

Planting bergenia in open ground in the Urals is no different from planting in other areas. You should know that the inhabitants of the Urals were among the first to discover the properties of the plant.

Caring for bergenia in spring and autumn. Flowering period

Care, like planting, will not take much time, and in order for the plant to please you for as long as possible, you need to follow a few fairly simple rules for care:

• timely watering;
• suitable feeding;
• cleaning up fallen leaves;
• mulching.

Important! In spring, last year's leaves are removed, and new shoots are slightly shortened.

If for some reason the soil cannot be mulched, then there is no need to remove last year’s leaves. They are perfect and, moreover, will do all the work themselves.

As for feeding, mineral fertilizers are needed in the periods before and after flowering. Mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil after flowering in 2-3 weeks.

Badan can live in one place for about 7-8 years, after which it is necessary to transplant it to a new place. You should not overuse transplants - the recovery process will not have time to complete, and the plant will begin to hurt.

Propagation of bergenia

Unlike planting and care in open ground, the propagation process is long and not so simple. For gardeners who are not afraid of difficulties, this section of the article will help increase the number of bergenia. So, reproduction can be done in two ways.

1 way. Cuttings

For reproduction in this way, strong mother bushes who have reached at least six years of age. Between May and August, part of the rhizome with a rosette of leaves is cut off after flowering, and the top few leaves are left.

Important! A bush that has at least three dormant buds in the leaf axils will take root better.

The cuttings are planted in loose soil, deepening to the rosette. The rhizomes should be at a depth of 4 cm. It is advisable to plant them at a distance of about 30 cm. The first flowering will occur in 2-3 years, since young plants do not form new rosettes, but in this way you can get 10-20 new bushes.

Method 2. Seminal

To propagate using this method, small bergenia seeds are collected and then sown. You can do this in several ways:

Sowing seeds in the fall, immediately after collection

Seeds are sown in dug up and weeded soil. After preparing the soil, humus is poured into it along with sand and everything is mixed into a homogeneous soil. Then the seeds are sown evenly.

In the first 2 years, seedlings develop slowly and need regular watering. Care must be taken that fast-growing weeds do not interfere with the development of sprouts by the falling shadow. For the winter, the seedlings are covered with leaves or lutrasil (spandbond).

As soon as winter ends, the seedlings are planted in a box, and the box itself is placed in the remaining snow. At the beginning of summer it should be planted in open ground. There is no need to worry about new bushes - bergenia tolerates picking calmly.

Sowing seeds in early May

The sowing process is the same as in the first method. The only feature his - spring sowing will sprout in the second week. As soon as the length of the sprouts reaches 8-10 cm, they are planted in open ground. This usually happens towards mid-summer. Plants grown by seed bloom for 3-4 years.

Pests and diseases of bergenia

The chemical composition of this plant protects itself from most pests. However, in shady places, the slobbering pennies are annoying, and nematodes living in the soil can periodically attack. There are many ways to get rid of the latter.

Here is one of them - just place the rhizome of the affected bush in potassium permanganate - this will become a quarantine for the plant. After the procedures, it should be transplanted to a new place, and the previous one should be treated with chemicals against worms.

Preparing bergenia for winter

As mentioned earlier, bergenia is frost-resistant, but during spring frosts it becomes necessary to cover the bushes due to the possible loss of flower buds. However, this event is more desirable than necessary.

Important! Evergreen perennials, such as bergenia, cannot be covered for the winter. Covered, they overcook, resulting in fungal infections.

Bergenia: combination with other plants

The best combination of bergenia with other plants is achieved if they are not similar to each other. That is, they have different leaf shapes and a different range of colors. When planting bergenia, you should take into account the location of nearby low ground cover plants.

Bergenia in landscape design

Bergenia is a perennial that is suitable for decorating gardens maintained in natural style. The varieties most often used in decoration are Bergenia crassifolla (thick-leaved bergenia) and the cultivar Bergenia cordifolla (heart-leaved bergenia). On alpine slide the plant is placed on the northern, northwestern or northeastern slope.

In landscape design, bergenia bushes show the border of a flower bed, or are used to emphasize lines. You can also create an array around trees or shrubs.

The healing properties of bergenia

At correct landing and caring for bergenia, the plant will delight you with medicinal material. Since ancient times, bergenia has saved people from illnesses. Its ability to stop bleeding and inflammation, as well as its possible use as an antiseptic, make it unique and extremely useful.

The listed properties do not constitute a complete list of the medicinal properties of this plant; you can add relief from oral candidiasis, fibroids, and erosion of the cervix - bergenia is a salvation from this.

Important! Bergenia roots are contraindicated for people with tachycardia, hypotension and increased blood clotting.

Hypotonic patients can use a decoction of bergenia roots if blood pressure-raising herbs are added to it. This is necessary to eliminate the pressure-lowering effect.

Bergenia was often brewed and drunk instead of tea. This drink with pleasant aroma gave not only vigor, but also improved arterial pressure, strengthened the walls of blood vessels and helped improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The recipe for bergenia tea is quite simple: last year's brown leaves, collected in the spring, are dried and crushed.

Important! Green leaves cannot be collected or stored, as they have not undergone natural fermentation and can be toxic.

At the next stage of preparing bergenia tea, the crushed leaves are brewed in boiling water. You can add a little black tea to the infusion for a richer taste.

If tea is used for medicinal purposes, then you need to drink it 3 times a day before meals. Bergenia tea can also help fight diarrhea, depression and fever. Tibetan medicine, known throughout the world, uses this drink as a remedy for tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Important! Long-term use of bergenia decoction leads to constipation and disruption of intestinal motility.

Bergenia has been used not only in medicine. In cosmetology I also use plants to combat seborrhea of ​​the hair and face by making various lotions. Bergenia cosmetics have the ability to tighten pores, which is why they are used in the treatment of acne. Bergenia can also help get rid of sweating and dermatitis.

Bergenia-based drugs are used not only in the treatment of human diseases - it is also widely used in veterinary medicine.

Experiments conducted using this plant have proven effective treatment for acute respiratory viral infections, whooping cough and others. respiratory infections. Even the properties listed above do not end the list of all possible ones! Cooking is another place where bergenia has found application, but that’s a completely different story...

Hosta is a plant for the lazy. types and care of hosta floweryvale. ru

Hosta plantain

U Hosta plantain(Hosta plantaginea) are also quite large, up to 30 cm in length and up to 15 cm in width, leaves with a heart-shaped base and a sharp tip. The leaf blade is bright green and shiny. The flowers are large, up to 10 cm long, white, on a high peduncle up to 60 cm. Hosta plantain blooms at the end of August for two weeks.

Hosta care

Hosta is very easy to care for. It is sometimes called a plant for the lazy, because if the planting site is chosen correctly, it can grow in one place for many years with virtually no care.

Host planting location and light level

Almost all hostas are distinguished by their rare shade tolerance and even shade tolerance, with the exception of variegated hosta varieties. Hosta can bloom quietly in deep shade on the north side of the house or under the canopy of trees.

When choosing a place to plant hostas, first of all, pay attention to the soil and lighting. The best soils for hostas are moisture-absorbing loams with a high humus content. Damp, marshy areas are unsuitable for hostas. On sandy soils, the leaves of all hostas become brighter, although the bush does not grow in width. On sandy soils, the amount of watering of hostas increases, and fertilizing with organic fertilizers will be very useful. Hostas can grow in one place for more than ten years.

Variegated forms of hosta still prefer lighter areas, illuminated at least in the morning or by the rays of the setting sun. With the right lighting, hostas grow quickly, have dense, neat rosettes, and the color of the leaves is most attractive.

Further Hosta care consists of weeding, fertilizing, watering in hot weather or in the absence of rain.

Many types of hosta, especially varietal ones, grow very slowly in the first years and are therefore not very decorative. After 4-5 years of growing season, the bushes become most attractive.

In addition, you need to be careful when cleaning the flower garden in April. Hosta seedlings usually appear later, so you need to be very careful when loosening the soil.

Feeding the host

Hosts are very responsive to increased content organic fertilizers in the soil. If peat, humus or compost was added under the hosta in the fall, then in early spring it is embedded shallowly in the soil. Humus or compost in the form of mulch can be applied under the hosta at the beginning of summer; then, in addition to fertilizer, it will help retain moisture in the soil, which is very useful for hostas. It is good to feed hostas with mullein infusion, but if there is no such fertilizer, then at the beginning of summer the hosta is fed with nitrogen fertilizers to quickly grow leaves, and in August - with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to stockpile nutrients in the rhizomes, as well as to increase the winter hardiness of the rhizomes.

Hosta transplantation and propagation

Hostas tolerate replanting and dividing the bush well, reproduce easily, and are non-aggressive. If frequent watering is possible, then hostas can be replanted at any time from spring to mid-September. The most painless transplantation occurs in May and August.

The easiest way Propagate hostas by dividing overgrown bushes. Dividing the bush is best done in the spring, in April - May, when the leaves have hatched but have not yet fully opened, or in the fall, in August - September, after flowering. Mature hosta bushes easily fall into divisions. After planting, the divisions are watered abundantly for the first time.

Hostas can be propagated by cuttings, especially varietal bushes. You can cut leaves from May to July inclusive. Easily separated young shoots with a heel are taken for cuttings. For cuttings, it is better to take rosettes with smaller leaves on short petioles. To reduce moisture evaporation, the leaves on this cutting are cut by one third or half. Planted hosta cuttings need to be constantly watered and sprayed.

Immediately after planting, the cuttings wither greatly and lie on the ground, but after 2–3 days they return to their normal position. To prevent hosta cuttings from wilting too much, they can be covered for several days. glass jar or plastic bottle. This will help maintain the necessary air humidity.

Host seed propagation very slow. Only in the fourth or fifth year do seedlings achieve a decorative effect.

Diseases and pests

With proper agricultural practices, hostas are highly resistant to disease. Among the pests, hostas are plagued by slugs and other leaf-eating insects, for example, caterpillars and various beetles. They greatly reduce the decorativeness of the leaves. Mulching the host's root rosette with sawdust and ash will help prevent slugs. You can use slug traps. Caterpillars, if there are few of them, can be collected by hand. But if you notice that the host has been attacked by beetles like Spanish flies, then you urgently need to treat the host with an insecticide, otherwise there will be nothing left of the host after them.

Preparing hostas for winter

Hosta is not demanding of heat and is frost-resistant. In late autumn, withered hosta leaves are removed with pruning shears. After pruning, it would be good to sprinkle the bushes with humus or peat, which will be completely useful in the northern regions. This will simultaneously serve as fertilizer and improve the wintering conditions of the rhizome.

Application host

Hostas are very appropriate in borders, rocky gardens, near ponds, in single and group plantings on lawns, edges, and will serve as an excellent addition to shade-tolerant flower beds and coniferous plants. They go well with ferns, bergenia, anemones, heuchera, geraniums, dicentras, bells, astilbes, irises, and swimmers along the shoreline of the reservoir.

Image source flickr. com: Liliana Di Stabile, Becky, makilab, Vedat Uzman, pawightm (Patricia), kool2guy, Robin Atherton, stoplamek, Karen, Herbert Frei, Powell Gardens, Martin Urban, Junfeng Chan, andrea signorini, Linda Daley, Eleven Ish, WestKastle( 2), kerstin(2), Candide Villeneuve Paysa, moccasinlanding, HEN-Magonza, TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋), virginiarose, cbiiidesigns (3), Nobuhiro Suhara, John FotoHouse, All~Sorts, Trev, InAweofGod'sCreation, Amy Woodward, Tribe, Stephen Cross, Annie

Source: Floweryvale ru

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Bergenia is a perennial plant. It blooms from March until the end of May. If the region is warmer, then bergenia continues to bloom in the summer. The plant is pollinated by insects. Fruiting of bergenia begins at the end of July and continues until August; the dry fruit contains many small seeds. Bergenia planting and care in open ground in the fall will be given below; it is considered an evergreen plant that has medicinal properties.

In folk medicine, bergenia leaves are used to treat toothache, tuberculosis, pneumonia, gastrointestinal diseases, urinary tract diseases, rheumatism, and goiter. In Mongolian medicine, roots and leaves are used for nausea and vomiting.

Ways to plant bergenia

There are three main ways to plant bergenia:

Using leaf rosettes,
- method from container,
- planting with rhizomes.

Let's take a closer look at each of them

• With the first method, the rhizome is partially dug up and, together with a lump of earth, is transferred to another area. In this case, it is not necessary that there are buds on the root - rosettes of leaves will be enough.

The method is the most gentle, but is most suitable when the plant is replanted after a short time interval. It can be used at any time except during flowering. It is best to replant bergenia in the fall. If it is not possible to plant the plant right away, it can be placed in a container.

• According to the second method, planting can be done at any time of the year, except in winter. It is recommended to plant seedlings from seeds in the spring, then over the summer period they will become much stronger and create a supply of useful substances.

When replanting, the plant is removed from the container along with a lump of earth. The hole must be prepared of appropriate dimensions. If the bergenia has grown greatly, then it can be divided by shaking off the soil and cutting the root. After this you can plant it.

• With the third method, you need to dig up part of the root and clean the ground. There should be at least five dormant buds on the root. These roots can be stored for quite a long time. This requires darkness and a cool climate. The roots are placed in straw or special paper for storage. You should pay attention so that the roots do not dry out during storage, but the humidity must also be certain so as not to cause rotting.

If the roots have been stored for a long time, before planting they should be soaked for several hours in water to which a little manganese or copper sulfate.
This planting method does not give a 100% germination result. From long-term storage, the roots may well lose their strength to grow.

It is recommended to plant bergenia in a shaded area so that the light falls on it diffusely. You can also use a sunny place, but you will have to monitor the condition of the soil and water it in a timely manner. The soil for planting should be light turf, without excess moisture, and low in acidity.

Rules for caring for bergenia

There is nothing complicated here, because the plant is considered unpretentious. The main task is to ensure that the soil on the site does not dry out. The old leaves of the plant, which will cover the ground, will help with this.

If the bergenia grows in an area open to the sun, visible to the eyes of guests, the old leaves from the bushes will have to be cut off so that the plant always looks beautiful. In this option, you will have to water and mulch the soil so that it does not dry out.

Bergenia does not need to be fed. Only after flowering, when forming new rosettes, can a soluble complex of fertilizers be applied. You should not fertilize more often to prevent flowering. Old leaves of bushes break off in autumn.
Growing bergenia in a permanent place can last up to ten years without replanting.
Bergenia is able to decorate your site with its original appearance; it does not require special attention to care.

The flowering plant bergenia is a charming evergreen “resident”, which is considered worthy decoration any summer flower garden. We will tell you in the article what varieties and types of bergenia there are, how to properly plant and care, grow and propagate the plant, as well as what garden crops to combine in landscape design!

Description: varieties and varieties of bergenia

An unusually beautiful bergenia plant, completely strewn with small pink flowers, came to gardeners from Siberia. It was the harsh growing conditions that made the herbaceous plant unpretentious and capable of wintering in any region of our country.

Thanks to its beauty and unpretentiousness, bergenia will not leave any gardener indifferent.

The amazing feature of bergenia is not only the beauty of the inflorescences, but also the wonderful healing properties: leaves and rhizomes garden perennial They are considered a treasure trove of ascorbic, tannic and gallic acids, and carotene. Prepared from thick-leaved bergenia medicines have a good anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect, have a beneficial effect on intestinal motility, and improve the secretion process of the digestive glands. And tea brewed from the leaves will not only have an unusual aroma, but also strengthen the cardiovascular system.

Interesting! Gardeners often compare bergenia, which does not take much time to plant and care for, with elephant ears. And all because the plant has beautiful, large leaves, which can change their color throughout the season, which greatly enlivens the flower garden, emphasizing its uniqueness and picturesqueness.

Bergenia leaves - juicy and bright - will decorate the garden, even when the plant is not blooming

In nature, there are about 10 species of this flowering plant and many of the most unusual varieties. This feature allows you to create luxurious floral arrangements using only bergenia.

The most common garden crop is the thick-leaved bergenia, which received its name because of its fleshy leaves with petioles, which contain a supply of moisture. By crossing thick-leaved bergenia with other species, breeders managed to develop several varieties of this crop:

• "Britten" with soft pinkish flowers (gardeners call this variety "apple blossom");

Variety "Britten"

• "Purple Glocken" with fragrant inflorescences of a deep purple color;

Variety "Purple Glocken"

• "Abbenglute" with bright pink velvety flowers;

Variety "Abbenglute"

• “Morgenrote”, “Sunningdale” are no less beautiful, but late-flowering varieties. Their flowering peak occurs in the middle of the summer season.

Variety "Morgenrote"

Planting a plant

If you want bergenia, which is extremely simple to plant and care for, to grow to its full potential and retain all its beneficial properties as much as possible, try to recreate the natural natural conditions for its growth.

For planting, it is better to use lightweight turf soil, avoid clay soil, or dilute it with fine sand or crushed stone. Bergenia grows well in sand, compost and clay soil, but stagnation of water has a bad effect on its growth and flowering. If the post is sufficiently drained, you can safely landscape the banks of reservoirs and ponds with flowering plants.

Bergenia feels good on various soils

The best period for planting is spring or late summer. Before planting, the soil is prepared, its composition is determined and, if necessary, improved, and weeds are removed. Only after this, a spacious hole (up to 30 cm) is dug, the rhizome of the plant is placed in it and sprinkled with earth.

Advice! Planting is done with the utmost care so as not to damage the root system!

Often before planting, the hole is filled with water, into which the rhizomes are placed and covered with a layer of soil. Then the soil is compacted and mulched with sawdust and peat. If the second method was chosen for planting (using water), then watering will be required only after 5-7 days.

Plant care

Like any garden crop, bergenia requires care, but it cannot be called burdensome. All that is needed for normal growth and fabulous flowering is timely watering, eliminating stagnation of water and overflow, suitable feeding, periodic cleaning of falling leaves and mulching.

It is better to mulch the soil around the bush to ensure uniform evaporation of moisture

Important! In the spring, the bergenia needs to be cleared of last year's shoots, dried leaves should be removed, and the shoots should be slightly shortened.

If the plant was not planted in a visible place in the garden plot, then you don’t have to clear the garden crop of last year’s leaves: as they gradually fall off, they will cover the soil with a kind of protective layer that will help retain moisture in the soil and protect the plant from overheating in the summer heat.

In one place, bergenia can grow quietly for about 10 years, while it does not require replanting and is extremely resistant to frost on the soil.

Fertilizer and fertilizing of bergenia

The plant is very responsive to properly selected fertilizing. Before and after bergenia blooms, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers. 2-3 weeks after flowering, you can feed the plant: fertilizers in this case activate the process of maturation and aging of the leaves, which at this time are just beginning to change their color.

The plant should be fed with mineral compounds

Plant propagation

The reproduction procedure is somewhat lengthy and difficult, but not all of us prefer easy solutions. For those who do not succumb to difficulties, we will tell you about two methods of propagation - using seeds and cuttings.

Method 1. Growing bergenia by propagating seeds.

To begin with, we note that bergenia has black and very small seeds (1-2 mm). During the first few years, seedlings develop slowly, forming miniature rosettes no more than 2.5 cm long. Seedlings need constant watering and supervision, and in late autumn they must be covered with dried leaves until spring. In addition, the seedlings must be planted with a substrate of compost, loamy soil and sand (ratio 1:1).

Bergenia seeds

Experienced breeders note that the most The best way reproduction means planting in early spring in a special seed container, which is fearlessly exposed in the winter under the snow and only in mid-spring is placed in warmth. Seedlings are planted in an area of ​​permanent growth in the second year in the second half of summer.

Method 2. Growing bergenia by cuttings.

For propagation using this method, strong and healthy middle-aged plants are selected. Before planting, part of the branch with the apical bud and rosette is separated, and almost all the leaves are torn off. Usually after a few days you can notice the first signs of rooting. It is recommended to plant cuttings at a distance of no more than 40 cm from each other, placing the rosette in prepared soil to the base. The procedure for caring for seedlings is similar to adult plants.

The easiest way to propagate a plant is by cuttings

Diseases and pests

Thick-leaved bergenia is insensitive to pests and diseases. But this is only if all the conditions for flower growth are met, otherwise the plant may suffer from spotting from time to time: brown spots with sharp outlines will appear on the leaves. Subsequently, the color of these spots will change from brown to brown-gray. A white, unhealthy coating gradually forms on the underside of the leaves. To get rid of a fungal disease, just trim off the diseased leaves or spray with Bordeaux liquid composition, foundationazole or preparations with a high copper content.

Bergenia disease - spotting

Bergenia: combination with other plants

Bergenia planted on flower beds, creates unusual compositions with plants such as:

• fern;
• Mahonia;
• lungwort;
• juniper;
• astilbe;
• hellebore.

Bergenia in the flowerbed

But it is better not to plant bergenia with lilies of the valley, periwinkle and other low-growing and creeping plants - it will not only get lost among them, but will also prevent them from growing, and will itself be limited in space. A well-groomed bergenia growing under the spreading crown of any deciduous tree looks unusually picturesque and harmonious. Bergenia is no less beautiful surrounded by spring bulbous flowers - delicate hyacinths, charming snowdrops and woodlands, bright crocuses.

Bergenia in landscape design

An important feature of bergenia - unpretentious care and lighting - allows you to grow the plant both in the shade and under direct lines. sun rays, in flower beds surrounded by other flowers and as an independent unit of landscape design. Thanks to its creeping rhizomes, bergenia effectively covers the soil, preventing the appearance of weeds.

How to grow bergenia correctly: video

Bergenia in the garden: photo

Bergenia is a spectacular garden plant. Its large leathery leaves retain their decorative properties even in winter. When planting bergenia in open ground, caring for it is not difficult. It is only important to choose for him comfortable spot and organize proper care.

Varieties of bergenia and its varieties

The most common types of this plant are thick-leaved bergenia (also called medicinal) and heart-leaved bergenia. Such varieties also exist in the wild. Recently, more species have been grown: Pacific multicolored and purple.

Today the plant has become popular among gardeners and breeders have taken up its cultivation.

This is how new hybrids appeared:

• Baby Doll, or Doll. Flowering begins in April-May. Light pink inflorescences look like small bells. The leaves are round in shape.
• Britten. Its soft pinkish petals resemble apple blossoms.
• Purple Glocken. It blooms in May with fragrant purple inflorescences.
• Morgenrote and Sunningdale. Late flowering varieties. The peak flowering period for this species is mid-summer.

Varieties differ in the color and shape of the leaves, and they may have jagged or wavy edges.

Nuances of cultivation

Bergenia tolerates cold winters well and is not afraid of frost. No flower required special conditions growing. It can grow in a shady corner of the garden or in a sunny place, the main thing is that in the midday heat a shadow falls on it.

• It does not make great demands on the soil.
• When choosing a place for bergenia on the site, you should know that it does not tolerate stagnation of water and excess moisture. Of course, it needs to be watered, but it will tolerate a lack of water better than its excess.
• During flowering, dried flowers are removed.
• For good growth and flowering, this large plant must be fed.
• The soil around the bushes must be loosened, not allowing it to dry out.
• Weeds are suppressed under powerful leaves.

Planting in open ground

The birthplace of this plant is Siberia. A flower grown in such harsh conditions can grow in any region of Russia.

In order for him to develop well, he needs to create an environment close to natural. For planting, you should choose a light one fertile soil, not clayey and well drained.

It is best to plant in spring or late August.

Planting is done in three ways:

• bush with leaf rosettes;
• prepared seedlings;
• rhizome.

The plant is replanted as a bush at the end of summer.

With this method, the following manipulations are performed:

1. Bergenia is carefully dug up without damaging the rhizome, and together with a lump of earth it is planted in a prepared hole with water.
2. Sprinkle the planting with soil and compact it.
3. The next watering is done in a week.
4. By frost, the bush will take root and calmly endure the winter.

Seedlings are planted in the ground when the weather warms up in June. Seedlings are planted in prepared holes. When removing the plant from the container, you need to make sure that the soil remains on the roots. Seedlings should not be planted in a sunny place.

The rhizome is planted in April. It should have five dormant buds. Before planting, the roots must be placed in water for several hours. The planted plant is mulched with peat.

When planting, you should prepare a spacious hole so that the roots of the plant can fit well in it.

Caring for the bergenia plant

Caring for this plant will not be burdensome. If you did everything correctly when planting, the flower will not require much attention.

• For growth and abundant flowering, the plant will require a sufficient amount of water. This does not mean that it needs to be watered continuously. It is important to monitor the condition of the soil and water the plant when it dries out, avoiding excess and stagnation of moisture.
• Plant nutrition is important. It is fertilized twice a month. For this purpose, mineral and organic fertilizers are used. A liquid fertilizer of 1 tbsp would be good. spoons of nitrophoska and 2 tbsp. spoons of organic fertilizer “Effecton-C”, diluted in 10 liters of water.

In spring you should give the plant a neat attractive appearance. To do this, remove dried leaves and shorten long shoots. The ground around is loosened and weeds are removed. The plant can grow in one place for up to 10 years. In the future, it should be transplanted to another place, dividing the overgrown bush into smaller parts.

Bergenia after flowering

After flowering has finished, the bergenia flower needs to be fed. To do this, you can use the Kemira-combi fertilizer. One tablespoon of the composition is dissolved in 10 liters of water and watered under the root.

Faded flower stalks should be trimmed to maintain a neat appearance.

After flowering, the seeds are also collected. To avoid losing them, gauze bags are placed on wilted flowers. In September, cut inflorescences are placed in a dry, ventilated area. Here they are dried for several weeks, then poured out of the bags, cleaned and sent for storage.

Plant propagation methods

Bergenia is propagated by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.

Propagation by seeds

Bergenia has small black seeds. They are sown immediately after harvesting directly on the surface of the prepared bed, sprinkled with moist soil on top. All summer they make sure that the soil does not dry out. For the winter, crops are covered with fallen leaves.

You can sow seeds in open ground in May. They germinate in a few weeks. Further care carry out as usual for sprouted seedlings. In the fall, the young animals are sheltered.

Seedlings develop very slowly, in the first year they produce miniature rosettes 2.5 cm high. When they reach a height of 10 cm, the plant is plucked and planted in a chosen place for further growth. In just four years, the bergenia will strengthen and begin to bloom.

Growing bergenia by cuttings

For propagation, use healthy plants at least 4 years old.

• Before planting, a part of the root with three buds and leaves is separated from the bush.
• Leave two or three leaves.
• The cuttings are planted in the ground, maintaining a distance of 40 cm between them.
• The roots are sunk into the ground to a depth of 4 cm. Within a few days the cutting will take root.

Further care for seedlings is carried out as for adult plants.

Diseases, pests and care during this period

If you follow the rules of plant care and carefully prepare the soil for planting, bergenia may not develop diseases. But there are still some troubles to which he may be exposed.

• Penny is slobbering. This pest appears if the bush grows in full shade and on too wet soil. The pennitsa secretes saliva, which contains larvae. Parts of the plant covered with saliva rot and then dry up. Saliva protects the larvae well, so folk remedies do not destroy it. To get rid of pennies, they use chemicals such as Tsvetofos and Intavir.
• Nematode. This roundworm lives in the soil and lays ball-like larvae. Dangerous pest reproduces very quickly. To destroy it, you need to dig up the diseased plant. If there is a small amount of damage, you can remove the diseased roots and transplant the bush to a new location. The soil should be treated with chemicals and no crops should be planted in this place for a year.
• Bergenia is susceptible to leaf spot. Dark spots cover the leaves on the front side, and a white coating appears on the back side. In the fight against the disease, it is necessary to remove the diseased parts of the flower and use Bordeaux mixture. Unfortunately this fungal disease Even low temperature does not destroy it.

Use in landscape design

Bergenia is a spectacular large plant. It looks great in combination with many ornamental crops, and therefore is one of the favorite plants for landscape design of garden plots and park areas.

Floral arrangements of bergenia and plants such as:

• fern;
• magnolia;
• astilbe;
• juniper.

They will decorate shady corners on the site.

Picturesque spring flower bed, where the bergenia will be surrounded by primroses - hyacinths, scillas, crocuses, snowdrops.

The proximity of bergenia to low-growing creeping flowers will be inconvenient. Its spreading bush will interfere with their growth, which will not make a beautiful element in the garden design.

In addition, bergenia has medicinal properties. Thick-leaved bergenia is medicinal. When its leaves turn black, they are used to obtain a healthy drink. The black leaf of the plant is part of “taiga tea” - it strengthens the immune system and has a tonic effect. It has long been used by hunters and geologists when going into the taiga.

Having become acquainted with such a beautiful and useful plant as bergenia, it is impossible not to plant it in your garden. Moreover, the flower does not require special care and will always delight you with its healthy appearance.

“Siberian tea” is the name given to the “bergenia” plant. This beautiful and easy-to-care flower has medicinal properties. It can be found in nature on rocky surfaces. They are attracted to lowland plants and places along streams.

Description of the plant

Bergenia, called “saxifrage thick-leaved,” belongs to the category of evergreen and perennial plants. What distinguishes bergenia from other plants is the presence of a powerful, thick rhizome and an inflorescence of fragrant, bell-shaped flowers. Bergenia leaves are dark green in color. The height of the plant can reach 50 cm. The color palette includes white, pink, lilac, purple, and dark crimson options.

Attention! There are 5 varieties of bergenia known in culture. The most popular are thick-leaved and hybrid. The medicinal properties are more pronounced in thick-leaved bergenia.

Landscape designers love to use this plant. There are several reasons for this:

1. Several specimens planted nearby quickly cover the ground underneath with their bright green leaves.
2. Bergenia “survives” weeds.
3. Goes well with big amount plants.

After winter, leaves with a brown tint appear from under the snow. Subsequently they turn green. The flowering period of the plant is April–May.

Planting and caring for the plant

Bergenia, planting and caring for which is optimal in the spring, has another interesting property. The leaves change color to bright red in the heat of autumn, making a great addition to any landscape of the season.

Before planting bergenia on new territory, you need to make sure the soil is suitable. It is better if the soil is:

• moisturized;
• drained;
• light.

The plant feels great in partial shade. If planted in full sun or shade, the plant may survive but will not produce abundant blooms. A contraindication for planting bergenia is the presence of clay soil on the site. In addition, there should be no stagnation of water. Otherwise, the plant will begin to hurt or even rot.

You can grow bergenia from seeds or carry out vegetative propagation. After the plant is first planted in the ground, it feels great for ten years. Bergenia cannot withstand frequent transplants.

Important! Planting and care in open ground are more desirable. But in some cases, those who want to see bergenia throughout the year plant the plant in greenhouses.

Features of plant care

During the dry season, “Siberian tea” should be watered once a week. Although in general, the plant tolerates drought without problems.

1. Fertilizing the plant should be done in the spring after flowering.
2. Remove dry inflorescences. An exception is if propagation by seeds is planned.
3. You need to carefully clean the plant of dry leaves in the spring to prevent the roots from being hit by suddenly returning frosts.
4. Protect the plant from weevils.
5. During the winter, you should cover the roots of the plant to prevent it from freezing.

Attention! Bergenia does not like excessive watering, which can lead to spots on its leaves.

There are many varieties of bergenia on sale that are not adapted to harsh conditions. winter conditions. If the plant is not covered for the winter or dry foliage is cut off in the fall, then in the spring the bergenia will be forced to spend energy restoring its greenery. Such a plant will not be able to bloom.

Considering that “Siberian tea” grows in breadth, when planting, plants should be left between 30 and 50 cm between rosettes so that they do not interfere with each other during the development process.

To help the plant develop successfully, it is recommended to feed it. This is usually done before flowering. The following composition can be used as a feeding agent:

• 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska;
• 5 kg of compost;
• 5 kg of peat.

All these components are thoroughly mixed together and placed under the leaves of the plant.

Ways to propagate bergenia

The easiest way is to divide the bergenia rosette into parts and transplant it to a new place. The root of the plant is close to the surface. If you take even a piece with one bud, the plant will take root easily.

Plant propagation

Experienced gardeners also advise planting a segment with a slope. This ensures faster rooting of the plant and will also increase the number of vegetative buds. This will allow for faster new propagation of bergenia.

Bergenia planting time

Those who want to use this method of transplantation usually ask, at what time should the bergenia be divided? Planting and care in late autumn in this case will be a mistake. Most favorable period– end of July – August. This will additionally lead to the fact that bergenia will not thicken in the area.

Planting seeds and caring for the garden in the future is carried out, on the contrary, from the spring period. In this case, the plant will have time to strengthen well before frost. If you want to plant bergenia seeds in the fall, you should additionally thoroughly cover the area chosen for planting with peat or sawdust. This will increase the chances of spring germination.

Disadvantages of the seed method of plant propagation:

1. Long period of growing the plant.
2. Low germination of seeds planted in autumn.
3. After germination, a transplant will be required (reproduction occurs in two stages).
4. In the first year, the plant will produce only 5 leaves, which does not allow the rosette to be used for design purposes.

Attention! "Siberian tea" can be planted as seedlings. In order for the plant to gain enough strength, seeds should be planted in boxes or containers in February.

Plants that were obtained from seeds should bloom only after 3–4 years.

Bergenia diseases

Like any plant, bergenia can be affected by any disease. Although it should be noted that pests do not attack bergenia so often. The diseases are mainly fungal in nature and are associated with wrong choice soil or care.

The leaves of the plant are most often affected. They can become “leaky” due to the work of slugs, snails, and weevils. In this case, it is necessary to treat the plant with special chemicals. Use them in hot weather It is impossible, which can destroy the plant.

Rarely, plant damage by nematodes does occur. It is difficult to get rid of this type of pest. They lay their eggs on the rhizome of bergenia. As a result, even cleaning the soil is unable to get rid of the problem. If a decision is made to replant bergenia, then chemical treatment is carried out in its place, and planting is not carried out in this area for a long time.

Important! If spots appear on the leaves of the plant or the bergenia has stopped blooming, you should make sure that there is no excessive moisture. In addition, you can treat with nitrophoska or ash.

An amazing and versatile plant in its properties, the bergenia plant will definitely appeal to its owners due to its ease of care and discreet, but individual appearance.

In landscape design, bergenia is used as a highlight of the garden.

This is an evergreen plant of the saxifrage family, the flowering of which lasts from late April to June, like any other primrose, it begins to show the beauty of its foliage immediately after the snow melts.

Despite the winter hardiness, the plants are returnable spring frosts can negatively affect the flowering period, so in the spring, cover the flower buds with fallen leaves and shade the leaves to prevent sunburn.

Bergenia flowers resemble bells of pink, purple, lavender color with an interesting fragrant aroma. In autumn, the foliage changes color from green to bronze, maintaining it until spring. At the same time, the second stage of flowering occasionally begins (September). Bergenia is planted in an alpine hill, on a rocky slope, among boulders and stones, since its root system is superficial and creeping.

They coexist well with sage, wormwood, sedge, lungwort,.

Growing bergenia

For planting, choose a shady place if you need green areas or semi-shaded if you want to see this primrose bloom.

Bergenia grows well in well-drained, loose, moist soil with a neutral to alkaline pH, but even in heavy clay soil it can surprise you. In lowlands, the plant does not develop and the root system dies from constant dampness. It is best to choose the north side of the house or at the foot of a high hedge.

Growing bergenia from seeds begins in March:

1. Pour the soil mixture (humused sand and loam in a 1:1:1 ratio) into a wooden box for seedlings.
2. Make furrows at a distance of 3 cm from each other, 0.5 cm deep, moisten them with warm water and sow the seeds lightly.
3. Place the box with the plantings in a room where the temperature is 18-20°C.
4. Water regularly and after 3-4 weeks, when sprouts appear, carry out.

In early June, plant the seedlings in a permanent place:

1. To do this, make holes 5-6 cm deep according to the 40x40 cm pattern.
2. Add a little sand to the bottom, place the seedlings and cover with soil mixture (turf, loamy soil, humus sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1).
3. After planting the bergenia, mulch it and cover it with fallen leaves, straw or peat for the winter.

With the seed planting method, flowering begins 3-4 years after planting.

Care

In the spring, for faster growth, water with warm water, sparingly, avoiding stagnation.

In autumn, remove dry inflorescences. In spring, old shoots are cut off and young shoots are covered. Then fertilize with complex mineral fertilizer (Kemira-Lux), repeating the feeding 2 weeks after flowering.

From frequent transplants, bergenia begins to hurt, so it is better to determine a site for it in advance for at least 5-6 years.

Bergenia may be affected by spotting. Leaves with signs of disease are cut off with pruning shears, and the plant itself is sprayed with foundationazole.

Propagation of bergenia by cuttings and dividing the bush



• Propagation by green cuttings. Immediately after flowering, in mid-summer, separate the young rosettes with part of the horizontal rhizome (heel) and 3 buds. Remove the leaves, leaving only 2-3 young leaves and plant to the base of the rosette. After 2-3 weeks, rooting will take place and flowering will begin in 2-3 years.
• Propagation by rhizome cuttings. Young bergenia roots grow close to the surface of the earth, so they are easy to dig up without damaging the main root. In early September, separate sections of roots up to 20 cm long from the above-ground part of the rhizome, on which there will be 3 buds. Plant them at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other in a horizontal position, deepening them to half.
• The division of the bush is carried out at the end of August - beginning of September every 4-5 years, dividing the bush into sections so that each has a renewal bud. After planting, water thoroughly for 14 days.

In a spring flowerbed, one cannot help but notice large rosettes of lush green foliage, with bright pink inflorescences on dense, erect peduncles. This is an incense plant, planting and caring for it in open ground will not cause any trouble even for a novice gardener. But thanks to this unpretentious, eye-catching and very useful plant, the garden will truly be transformed.

Perennial garden varieties of bergenia come from those parts of Asia where other representatives of the green world would not be too comfortable. Plants settle not only in alpine meadows and lowlands, but also on rocky ledges and highlands. Such conditions “hardened” the flower, often called saxifrage for its endurance.

In landscape design, as in the photo, bergenia has found its place on alpine hills and near reservoirs, in group plantings with other decorative perennials. Mono-planting of this crop, which grows quickly and forms picturesque clumps of dense foliage, is quite common.

Growing bergenia and caring for it on the site will not make it difficult for the ever-busy summer resident. The main thing is to find a suitable place for the perennial and create conditions for growth and flowering.

Where and how to plant bergenia?

The unpretentiousness, frost resistance and endurance of bergenia in nature have been fully transferred to garden varieties. Therefore, even a beginner can grow them in his flowerbed. Like other perennial crops, bergenia is planted as seedlings or daughter rosettes separated from an adult plant.

But before you plant bergenia, you need to choose a suitable place for it. The crop feels best in areas with loose, light soil. Such soil helps the surface roots receive nutrition, oxygen, and also the moisture desperately needed by the bergenia.

When choosing a location, preference is given to areas where bergenia will not suffer from drought and direct sunlight, as well as from the proximity of spring stagnation of water. In partial shade the plant will be quite comfortable, but if the rosettes have to spend a lot of time in the sun, the soil under it must be mulched.

Bergenia has no special requirements for the composition of the soil. It’s great if in the area where bergenia is to be planted, the soil has a slightly alkaline reaction. However, even on a slightly acidic substrate, the plant can adapt, bloom and reproduce.

Caring for bergenia flowers after planting

As soon as the snow begins to melt, bergenia leaves appear from under it. True, the foliage left over from last year managed to suffer over the winter.

Therefore, in the spring, care when planting bergenia in open ground begins with the removal of damaged or dead leaves. Next, complex fertilizers are applied under the rosettes, which are designed to stimulate growth and support the plants during flowering.

When the pink or lilac bells in the panicle inflorescences fade, the plantings are fed again. This time, fertilizers will restore nutrient reserves and accelerate the growth of rosettes.

Fertilizing is combined with watering or carried out on already moist soil. Since bergenia reacts well to water, it must be watered:

• during the formation of buds and the appearance of flower stalks;
• after two 10–20 days, if there is insufficient precipitation during this period;
• in the future, until the end of summer if there is a threat of drought.

In the hot season, when the soil loses moisture due to evaporation and the roots may dry out, the soil is mulched. It is especially important to do this, as in the photo, when caring for bergenia after planting.

Propagation of bergenia

You can get young bergenia plants on your site by sowing seeds of the variety you like or by dividing an already grown plant.

Seed propagation of bergenia involves cold stratification.

The seeds sown in furrows with a depth of no more than 0.5 cm of the furrow are embedded in moistened soil and sent to the cold. Ideally, the planting container is taken out into the open air and sprinkled with snow, which will maintain optimal humidity and prevent future seedlings from freezing.

In early March, the container is placed in a warm place, in the light, but not in direct sunlight. At a temperature of 18–19 ºC and high humidity, the seeds begin to swell and hatch in 20–25 days.

Caring for bergenia flowers after planting involves watering and carefully loosening the soil around the seedlings. If the tunnels are too dense, they are thinned out, leaving one plant per 3–5 cm.

45–55 days after sowing, the young plants dive, spreading them apart from each other at a distance of at least 6–7 cm. By June, you can determine the place where to plant the bergenia. But before this, the seedlings are hardened off, gradually increasing the period of stay of the boxes with seedlings in the fresh air. In the first half of summer, the strongest seedlings are brought into the ground. The rest are transplanted in August.

Planting bergenia in open ground and caring for plants

The root system of bergenia is located close to the soil surface, so you should not make large, deep holes. It is enough to scoop 6–8 cm of soil and pour a little sand into the bottom of the hole as drainage. Since the plant will gradually expand its boundaries and grow, the interval between holes is made at least 40 cm. After planting, the soil is compacted and watered.

If most perennials bloom the next year after planting in the ground, then bergenia is in no hurry to show its inflorescences to the summer resident. The first buds are formed only after 2–3 years, but at the same time the bergenia is already forming daughter rosettes.

This is an excellent planting material that can be easily separated from adult plants in the summer, after flowering and before the first days of September. The rhizomes of such divisions are located almost below the surface of the soil or protrude above it, and even a beginner can cope with digging them out.

The plant must be divided so that at least three healthy buds remain on the root cuttings. Leaves are cut off from the seedlings, leaving a pair of the strongest ones. Planting is carried out to a depth of 3 to 5 centimeters. To ensure that the bergenia has room to grow, a gap of at least 30 centimeters is left between future plants. In the first month, fertilizing is not needed, but watering should be regular and plentiful.

With proper care, bergenia planted in open ground blooms a year earlier than seedlings, that is, in the second or third year after the start of independent life.

When to replant bergenia? This plant can grow in one place for a very long time and without visible problems. Therefore, transplantation is undertaken when required:

• limit the growth of bergenia on the site;
• on the contrary, obtain planting material for propagation from adult plants.

Uncontrolled spreading of plantings leads to their excessive density, which is fraught with diseases and the accumulation of pests.

Problems with growing and caring for bergenia

Most often, fungal diseases caused by overcrowding and high humidity occur on bergenia. Signs of such infections appear on the leaves in the form of brown or whitish spots, blackening or necrosis of tissue.

The affected leaf blades dry out and the disease grows. You can cope with the trouble when growing and caring for bergenia:

• spraying with systemic fungicides;
• establishing care and watering regime;
• vacuum plantings to organize fresh air flow to the bases of the outlets.

Among the pests that damage the plant are slugs, nematodes and slobbering pennies. While insects can be controlled with insecticide treatments, worms pose a greater threat. Plants affected by them are dug up and destroyed to prevent the spread of the nematode. The area where bergenia grew is repeatedly treated with insecticides against soil pests, and then left fallow until next year.

Preparing garden bergenia for winter

Bergenias are frost-resistant, but in winters with little snow, some cultivated varieties may freeze. To prevent the curtain from looking bare in the spring and then not being restored for several years, it is recommended to insulate young plants that have not had time to fully acclimatize. This can be done using a thick layer of mulch, for which fallen and dried leaves, spruce branches, and high-moor peat are used.

Planting and growing bergenia - video

Bergenia is a perennial plant. It blooms from March until the end of May. If the region is warmer, then bergenia continues to bloom in the summer. The plant is pollinated by insects. Fruiting of bergenia begins at the end of July and continues until August; the dry fruit contains many small seeds. Bergenia planting and care in open ground in the fall will be given below; it is considered an evergreen plant that has medicinal properties.

In folk medicine, bergenia leaves are used to treat toothache, tuberculosis, pneumonia, gastrointestinal diseases, urinary tract diseases, rheumatism, and goiter. In Mongolian medicine, roots and leaves are used for nausea and vomiting.

Ways to plant bergenia

There are three main ways to plant bergenia:

Using leaf rosettes,
- method from container,
- planting with rhizomes.

Let's take a closer look at each of them

• With the first method, the rhizome is partially dug up and, together with a lump of earth, is transferred to another area. In this case, it is not necessary that there are buds on the root - rosettes of leaves will be enough.

The method is the most gentle, but is most suitable when the plant is replanted after a short time interval. It can be used at any time except during flowering. It is best to replant bergenia in the fall. If it is not possible to plant the plant right away, it can be placed in a container.

• According to the second method, planting can be done at any time of the year, except in winter. It is recommended to plant seedlings from seeds in the spring, then over the summer period they will become much stronger and create a supply of useful substances.

When replanting, the plant is removed from the container along with a lump of earth. The hole must be prepared of appropriate dimensions. If the bergenia has grown greatly, then it can be divided by shaking off the soil and cutting the root. After this you can plant it.

• With the third method, you need to dig up part of the root and clean the ground. There should be at least five dormant buds on the root. These roots can be stored for quite a long time. This requires darkness and a cool climate. The roots are placed in straw or special paper for storage. You should pay attention so that the roots do not dry out during storage, but the humidity must also be certain so as not to cause rotting.

If the roots have been stored for a long time, before planting they should be soaked for several hours in water to which a little manganese or copper sulfate should be added.
This planting method does not give a 100% germination result. From long-term storage, the roots may well lose their strength to grow.

It is recommended to plant bergenia in a shaded area so that the light falls on it diffusely. You can also use a sunny place, but you will have to monitor the condition of the soil and water it in a timely manner. The soil for planting should be light turf, without excess moisture, and low in acidity.

Rules for caring for bergenia

There is nothing complicated here, because the plant is considered unpretentious. The main task is to ensure that the soil on the site does not dry out. The old leaves of the plant, which will cover the ground, will help with this.

If the bergenia grows in an area open to the sun, visible to the eyes of guests, the old leaves from the bushes will have to be cut off so that the plant always looks beautiful. In this option, you will have to water and mulch the soil so that it does not dry out.

Bergenia does not need to be fed. Only after flowering, when forming new rosettes, can a soluble complex of fertilizers be applied. You should not fertilize more often to prevent flowering. Old leaves of bushes break off in autumn.
Growing bergenia in a permanent place can last up to ten years without replanting.
Bergenia is able to decorate your site with its original appearance; it does not require special attention to care.

The flowering plant bergenia is a charming evergreen “resident”, which is considered a worthy decoration for any summer flower garden. We will tell you in the article what varieties and types of bergenia there are, how to properly plant and care, grow and propagate the plant, as well as what garden crops to combine in landscape design!

Description: varieties and varieties of bergenia

An unusually beautiful bergenia plant, completely strewn with small pink flowers, came to gardeners from Siberia. It was the harsh growing conditions that made the herbaceous plant unpretentious and capable of wintering in any region of our country.

Thanks to its beauty and unpretentiousness, bergenia will not leave any gardener indifferent.

The amazing feature of bergenia is not only the beauty of the inflorescences, but also its remarkable healing properties: the leaves and rhizomes of the garden perennial are considered a treasure trove of ascorbic, tannic and gallic acid, and carotene. Medicines prepared from thick-leaved bergenia have a good anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect, have a beneficial effect on intestinal motility, and improve the secretion process of the digestive glands. And tea brewed from the leaves will not only have an unusual aroma, but also strengthen the cardiovascular system.

Interesting! Gardeners often compare bergenia, which does not take much time to plant and care for, with elephant ears. And all because the plant has beautiful, large leaves, which can change their color throughout the season, which greatly enlivens the flower garden, emphasizing its uniqueness and picturesqueness.

Bergenia leaves - juicy and bright - will decorate the garden, even when the plant is not blooming

In nature, there are about 10 species of this flowering plant and many of the most unusual varieties. This feature allows you to create luxurious floral arrangements using only bergenia.

The most common garden crop is the thick-leaved bergenia, which received its name because of its fleshy leaves with petioles, which contain a supply of moisture. By crossing thick-leaved bergenia with other species, breeders managed to develop several varieties of this crop:

• "Britten" with soft pinkish flowers (gardeners call this variety "apple blossom");

Variety "Britten"

• "Purple Glocken" with fragrant inflorescences of a deep purple color;

Variety "Purple Glocken"

• "Abbenglute" with bright pink velvety flowers;

Variety "Abbenglute"

• “Morgenrote”, “Sunningdale” are no less beautiful, but late-flowering varieties. Their flowering peak occurs in the middle of the summer season.

Variety "Morgenrote"

Planting a plant

If you want bergenia, which is extremely simple to plant and care for, to grow to its full potential and retain all its beneficial properties as much as possible, try to recreate the natural conditions for its growth.

For planting, it is better to use lightweight turf soil, avoid clay soil, or dilute it with fine sand or crushed stone. Bergenia grows well in sand, compost and clay soil, but stagnation of water has a bad effect on its growth and flowering. If the post is sufficiently drained, you can safely landscape the banks of reservoirs and ponds with flowering plants.

Bergenia feels good on various soils

The best period for planting is spring or late summer. Before planting, the soil is prepared, its composition is determined and, if necessary, improved, and weeds are removed. Only after this, a spacious hole (up to 30 cm) is dug, the rhizome of the plant is placed in it and sprinkled with earth.

Advice! Planting is done with the utmost care so as not to damage the root system!

Often before planting, the hole is filled with water, into which the rhizomes are placed and covered with a layer of soil. Then the soil is compacted and mulched with sawdust and peat. If the second method was chosen for planting (using water), then watering will be required only after 5-7 days.

Plant care

Like any garden crop, bergenia requires care, but it cannot be called burdensome. All that is needed for normal growth and fabulous flowering is timely watering, eliminating stagnation of water and overflow, suitable feeding, periodic cleaning of falling leaves and mulching.

It is better to mulch the soil around the bush to ensure uniform evaporation of moisture

Important! In the spring, the bergenia needs to be cleared of last year's shoots, dried leaves should be removed, and the shoots should be slightly shortened.

If the plant was not planted in a visible place in the garden plot, then you don’t have to clear the garden crop of last year’s leaves: as they gradually fall off, they will cover the soil with a kind of protective layer that will help retain moisture in the soil and protect the plant from overheating in the summer heat.

In one place, bergenia can grow quietly for about 10 years, while it does not require replanting and is extremely resistant to frost on the soil.

Fertilizer and fertilizing of bergenia

The plant is very responsive to properly selected fertilizing. Before and after bergenia blooms, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers. 2-3 weeks after flowering, you can feed the plant: fertilizers in this case activate the process of maturation and aging of the leaves, which at this time are just beginning to change their color.

The plant should be fed with mineral compounds

Plant propagation

The reproduction procedure is somewhat lengthy and difficult, but not all of us prefer easy solutions. For those who do not succumb to difficulties, we will tell you about two methods of propagation - using seeds and cuttings.

Method 1. Growing bergenia by propagating seeds.

To begin with, we note that bergenia has black and very small seeds (1-2 mm). During the first few years, seedlings develop slowly, forming miniature rosettes no more than 2.5 cm long. Seedlings need constant watering and supervision, and in late autumn they must be covered with dried leaves until spring. In addition, the seedlings must be planted with a substrate of compost, loamy soil and sand (ratio 1:1).

Bergenia seeds

Experienced breeders note that the best method of propagation is planting in early spring in a special seed container, which is fearlessly exposed in the winter under the snow and only placed in warmth in mid-spring. Seedlings are planted in an area of ​​permanent growth in the second year in the second half of summer.

Method 2. Growing bergenia by cuttings.

For propagation using this method, strong and healthy middle-aged plants are selected. Before planting, part of the branch with the apical bud and rosette is separated, and almost all the leaves are torn off. Usually after a few days you can notice the first signs of rooting. It is recommended to plant cuttings at a distance of no more than 40 cm from each other, placing the rosette in prepared soil to the base. The procedure for caring for seedlings is similar to adult plants.

The easiest way to propagate a plant is by cuttings

Diseases and pests

Thick-leaved bergenia is insensitive to pests and diseases. But this is only if all the conditions for flower growth are met, otherwise the plant may suffer from spotting from time to time: brown spots with sharp outlines will appear on the leaves. Subsequently, the color of these spots will change from brown to brown-gray. A white, unhealthy coating gradually forms on the underside of the leaves. To get rid of a fungal disease, it is enough to cut off diseased leaves or spray with Bordeaux mixture, foundation or preparations with a high copper content.

Bergenia disease - spotting

Bergenia: combination with other plants

Bergenia, planted in flower beds, creates unusual compositions with plants such as:

• fern;
• Mahonia;
• lungwort;
• juniper;
• astilbe;
• hellebore.

Bergenia in the flowerbed

But it is better not to plant bergenia with lilies of the valley, periwinkle and other low-growing and creeping plants - it will not only get lost among them, but will also prevent them from growing, and will itself be limited in space. A well-groomed bergenia growing under the spreading crown of any deciduous tree looks unusually picturesque and harmonious. Bergenia is no less beautiful surrounded by spring bulbous flowers - delicate hyacinths, charming snowdrops and woodlands, bright crocuses.

Bergenia in landscape design

An important feature of bergenia - unpretentious care and lighting - allows you to grow the plant both in the shade and in direct sunlight, in flower beds surrounded by other flowers and as an independent unit of landscape design. Thanks to its creeping rhizomes, bergenia effectively covers the soil, preventing the appearance of weeds.

How to grow bergenia correctly: video

Bergenia in the garden: photo

Bergenia is a spectacular garden plant. Its large leathery leaves retain their decorative properties even in winter. When planting bergenia in open ground, caring for it is not difficult. It is only important to choose a convenient place for it and organize proper care.

Varieties of bergenia and its varieties

The most common types of this plant are thick-leaved bergenia (also called medicinal) and heart-leaved bergenia. Such varieties also exist in the wild. Recently, more species have been grown: Pacific multicolored and purple.

Today the plant has become popular among gardeners and breeders have taken up its cultivation.

This is how new hybrids appeared:

• Baby Doll, or Doll. Flowering begins in April-May. Light pink inflorescences look like small bells. The leaves are round in shape.
• Britten. Its soft pinkish petals resemble apple blossoms.
• Purple Glocken. It blooms in May with fragrant purple inflorescences.
• Morgenrote and Sunningdale. Late flowering varieties. The peak flowering period for this species is mid-summer.

Varieties differ in the color and shape of the leaves, and they may have jagged or wavy edges.

Nuances of cultivation

Bergenia tolerates cold winters well and is not afraid of frost. The flower does not require special growing conditions. It can grow in a shady corner of the garden or in a sunny place, the main thing is that in the midday heat a shadow falls on it.

• It does not make great demands on the soil.
• When choosing a place for bergenia on the site, you should know that it does not tolerate stagnation of water and excess moisture. Of course, it needs to be watered, but it will tolerate a lack of water better than its excess.
• During flowering, dried flowers are removed.
• For good growth and flowering, this large plant must be fed.
• The soil around the bushes must be loosened, not allowing it to dry out.
• Weeds are suppressed under powerful leaves.

Planting in open ground

The birthplace of this plant is Siberia. A flower grown in such harsh conditions can grow in any region of Russia.

In order for him to develop well, he needs to create an environment close to natural. For planting, you should choose light, fertile soil, not clayey and well-drained.

It is best to plant in spring or late August.

Planting is done in three ways:

• bush with leaf rosettes;
• prepared seedlings;
• rhizome.

The plant is replanted as a bush at the end of summer.

With this method, the following manipulations are performed:

1. Bergenia is carefully dug up without damaging the rhizome, and together with a lump of earth it is planted in a prepared hole with water.
2. Sprinkle the planting with soil and compact it.
3. The next watering is done in a week.
4. By frost, the bush will take root and calmly endure the winter.

Seedlings are planted in the ground when the weather warms up in June. Seedlings are planted in prepared holes. When removing the plant from the container, you need to make sure that the soil remains on the roots. Seedlings should not be planted in a sunny place.

The rhizome is planted in April. It should have five dormant buds. Before planting, the roots must be placed in water for several hours. The planted plant is mulched with peat.

When planting, you should prepare a spacious hole so that the roots of the plant can fit well in it.

Caring for the bergenia plant

Caring for this plant will not be burdensome. If you did everything correctly when planting, the flower will not require much attention.

• For growth and abundant flowering, the plant will require a sufficient amount of water. This does not mean that it needs to be watered continuously. It is important to monitor the condition of the soil and water the plant when it dries out, avoiding excess and stagnation of moisture.
• Plant nutrition is important. It is fertilized twice a month. For this purpose, mineral and organic fertilizers are used. A liquid fertilizer of 1 tbsp would be good. spoons of nitrophoska and 2 tbsp. spoons of organic fertilizer “Effecton-C”, diluted in 10 liters of water.

In spring, you should give the plant a neat, attractive appearance. To do this, remove dried leaves and shorten long shoots. The ground around is loosened and weeds are removed. The plant can grow in one place for up to 10 years. In the future, it should be transplanted to another place, dividing the overgrown bush into smaller parts.

Bergenia after flowering

After flowering has finished, the bergenia flower needs to be fed. To do this, you can use the Kemira-combi fertilizer. One tablespoon of the composition is dissolved in 10 liters of water and watered under the root.

Faded flower stalks should be trimmed to maintain a neat appearance.

After flowering, the seeds are also collected. To avoid losing them, gauze bags are placed on wilted flowers. In September, cut inflorescences are placed in a dry, ventilated area. Here they are dried for several weeks, then poured out of the bags, cleaned and sent for storage.

Plant propagation methods

Bergenia is propagated by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.

Propagation by seeds

Bergenia has small black seeds. They are sown immediately after harvesting directly on the surface of the prepared bed, sprinkled with moist soil on top. All summer they make sure that the soil does not dry out. For the winter, crops are covered with fallen leaves.

You can sow seeds in open ground in May. They germinate in a few weeks. Further care is carried out as usual for sprouted seedlings. In the fall, the young animals are sheltered.

Seedlings develop very slowly, in the first year they produce miniature rosettes 2.5 cm high. When they reach a height of 10 cm, the plant is plucked and planted in a chosen place for further growth. In just four years, the bergenia will strengthen and begin to bloom.

Growing bergenia by cuttings

For propagation, use healthy plants at least 4 years old.

• Before planting, a part of the root with three buds and leaves is separated from the bush.
• Leave two or three leaves.
• The cuttings are planted in the ground, maintaining a distance of 40 cm between them.
• The roots are sunk into the ground to a depth of 4 cm. Within a few days the cutting will take root.

Further care for seedlings is carried out as for adult plants.

Diseases, pests and care during this period

If you follow the rules of plant care and carefully prepare the soil for planting, bergenia may not develop diseases. But there are still some troubles to which he may be exposed.

• Penny is slobbering. This pest appears if the bush grows in full shade and on too wet soil. The pennitsa secretes saliva, which contains larvae. Parts of the plant covered with saliva rot and then dry up. Saliva protects the larvae well, so folk remedies do not destroy it. To get rid of pennies, they use chemicals such as Tsvetofos and Intavir.
• Nematode. This roundworm lives in the soil and lays ball-like larvae. The dangerous pest multiplies very quickly. To destroy it, you need to dig up the diseased plant. If there is a small amount of damage, you can remove the diseased roots and transplant the bush to a new location. The soil should be treated with chemicals and no crops should be planted in this place for a year.
• Bergenia is susceptible to leaf spot. Dark spots cover the leaves on the front side, and a white coating appears on the back. In the fight against the disease, it is necessary to remove the diseased parts of the flower and use Bordeaux mixture. Unfortunately, this fungal disease is not destroyed even by low temperatures.

Use in landscape design

Bergenia is a spectacular large plant. It looks advantageous in combination with many ornamental crops, and therefore is one of the favorite plants for landscape design of garden plots and park areas.

Floral arrangements of bergenia and plants such as:

• fern;
• magnolia;
• astilbe;
• juniper.

They will decorate shady corners on the site.

The spring flower bed is picturesque, where the bergenia will be surrounded by primroses - hyacinths, scillas, crocuses, snowdrops.

The proximity of bergenia to low-growing creeping flowers will be inconvenient. Its spreading bush will interfere with their growth, which will not make a beautiful element in the garden design.

In addition, bergenia has medicinal properties. Thick-leaved bergenia is medicinal. When its leaves turn black, they are used to obtain a healthy drink. The black leaf of the plant is part of “taiga tea” - it strengthens the immune system and has a tonic effect. It has long been used by hunters and geologists when going into the taiga.

Having become acquainted with such a beautiful and useful plant as bergenia, it is impossible not to plant it in your garden. Moreover, the flower does not require special care and will always delight you with its healthy appearance.

“Siberian tea” is the name given to the “bergenia” plant. This beautiful and easy-to-care flower has medicinal properties. It can be found in nature on rocky surfaces. They are attracted to lowland plants and places along streams.

Description of the plant

Bergenia, called “saxifrage thick-leaved,” belongs to the category of evergreen and perennial plants. What distinguishes bergenia from other plants is the presence of a powerful, thick rhizome and an inflorescence of fragrant, bell-shaped flowers. Bergenia leaves are dark green in color. The height of the plant can reach 50 cm. The color palette includes white, pink, lilac, purple, and dark crimson options.

Attention! There are 5 varieties of bergenia known in culture. The most popular are thick-leaved and hybrid. The medicinal properties are more pronounced in thick-leaved bergenia.

Landscape designers love to use this plant. There are several reasons for this:

1. Several specimens planted nearby quickly cover the ground underneath with their bright green leaves.
2. Bergenia “survives” weeds.
3. Pairs well with a wide variety of plants.

After winter, leaves with a brown tint appear from under the snow. Subsequently they turn green. The flowering period of the plant is April–May.

Planting and caring for the plant

Bergenia, planting and caring for which is optimal in the spring, has another interesting property. The leaves change color to bright red in the heat of autumn, making a great addition to any landscape of the season.

Before planting bergenia in a new area, you need to make sure that the soil is suitable. It is better if the soil is:

• moisturized;
• drained;
• light.

The plant feels great in partial shade. If planted in full sun or shade, the plant may survive but will not produce abundant blooms. A contraindication for planting bergenia is the presence of clay soil on the site. In addition, there should be no stagnation of water. Otherwise, the plant will begin to hurt or even rot.

You can grow bergenia from seeds or carry out vegetative propagation. After the plant is first planted in the ground, it feels great for ten years. Bergenia cannot withstand frequent transplants.

Important! Planting and care in open ground are more desirable. But in some cases, those who want to see bergenia throughout the year plant the plant in greenhouses.

Features of plant care

During the dry season, “Siberian tea” should be watered once a week. Although in general, the plant tolerates drought without problems.

1. Fertilizing the plant should be done in the spring after flowering.
2. Remove dry inflorescences. An exception is if propagation by seeds is planned.
3. You need to carefully clean the plant of dry leaves in the spring to prevent the roots from being hit by suddenly returning frosts.
4. Protect the plant from weevils.
5. During the winter, you should cover the roots of the plant to prevent it from freezing.

Attention! Bergenia does not like excessive watering, which can lead to spots on its leaves.

There are many varieties of bergenia on sale that are not adapted to harsh winter conditions. If the plant is not covered for the winter or dry foliage is cut off in the fall, then in the spring the bergenia will be forced to spend energy restoring its greenery. Such a plant will not be able to bloom.

Considering that “Siberian tea” grows in breadth, when planting, plants should be left between 30 and 50 cm between rosettes so that they do not interfere with each other during the development process.

To help the plant develop successfully, it is recommended to feed it. This is usually done before flowering. The following composition can be used as a feeding agent:

• 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska;
• 5 kg of compost;
• 5 kg of peat.

All these components are thoroughly mixed together and placed under the leaves of the plant.

Ways to propagate bergenia

The easiest way is to divide the bergenia rosette into parts and transplant it to a new place. The root of the plant is close to the surface. If you take even a piece with one bud, the plant will take root easily.

Plant propagation

Experienced gardeners also advise planting a segment with a slope. This ensures faster rooting of the plant and will also increase the number of vegetative buds. This will allow for faster new propagation of bergenia.

Bergenia planting time

Those who want to use this method of transplantation usually ask, at what time should the bergenia be divided? Planting and care in late autumn in this case will be a mistake. The most favorable period is the end of July - August. This will additionally lead to the fact that bergenia will not thicken in the area.

Planting seeds and caring for the garden in the future is carried out, on the contrary, from the spring period. In this case, the plant will have time to strengthen well before frost. If you want to plant bergenia seeds in the fall, you should additionally thoroughly cover the area chosen for planting with peat or sawdust. This will increase the chances of spring germination.

Disadvantages of the seed method of plant propagation:

1. Long period of growing the plant.
2. Low germination of seeds planted in autumn.
3. After germination, a transplant will be required (reproduction occurs in two stages).
4. In the first year, the plant will produce only 5 leaves, which does not allow the rosette to be used for design purposes.

Attention! "Siberian tea" can be planted as seedlings. In order for the plant to gain enough strength, seeds should be planted in boxes or containers in February.

Plants that were obtained from seeds should bloom only after 3–4 years.

Bergenia diseases

Like any plant, bergenia can be affected by any disease. Although it should be noted that pests do not attack bergenia so often. Diseases are mainly fungal in nature, and are associated with improper choice of soil or care.

The leaves of the plant are most often affected. They can become “leaky” due to the work of slugs, snails, and weevils. In this case, it is necessary to treat the plant with special chemicals. They should not be used in hot weather, as this can destroy the plant.

Rarely, plant damage by nematodes does occur. It is difficult to get rid of this type of pest. They lay their eggs on the rhizome of bergenia. As a result, even cleaning the soil is unable to get rid of the problem. If a decision is made to replant bergenia, then chemical treatment is carried out in its place, and planting is not carried out in this area for a long time.

Important! If spots appear on the leaves of the plant or the bergenia has stopped blooming, you should make sure that there is no excessive moisture. In addition, you can treat with nitrophoska or ash.

An amazing and versatile plant in its properties, the bergenia plant will definitely appeal to its owners due to its ease of care and discreet, but individual appearance.

Few people know that from the dried leaves of a plant called bergenia, prepare very tasty, aromatic and, most importantly, healing tea. Unknowingly, many flower growers and gardeners throw away these dried, wrinkled leaves.

In Altai (the birthplace of bergenia) such tea is called Chigir tea, but in Siberia it was given a different name - Mongolian. With the onset of spring, the leaves that were under the snow cover and underwent natural fermentation acquire healing properties. So, this unusual tea can strengthen the immune system, cure a large number of diseases, and it also has excellent tonic properties. Not so long ago, the dried leaves of this wonderful plant could be freely purchased at the market. Fresh green bergenia leaves are not used to make medicinal tea, but they are used when preparing cabbage rolls (instead of cabbage leaves).

Once you try this wonderful drink, you will definitely want to grow bergenia yourself, which is quite simple to do, since this plant is unpretentious, and it can also suppress growth weed around you. With the onset of spring, all you have to do is collect the remaining leaves, wash them thoroughly and dry them, and then you can prepare delicious tea from them. These leaves are stored in canvas bags. By the way, this drink can be drunk at almost any age. It is noteworthy that the rhizome of bergenia also has healing properties; medicinal ointments and decoctions are prepared from it.

Bergenia is an evergreen perennial and belongs to the saxifrage family. It has not only healing properties, but also a spectacular appearance. This plant is also called bergenia (lat. Bergenia), and it is named after the German botanist and doctor Carl Bergen.

This plant has spectacular inflorescences of small goblet-shaped flowers. They are placed on peduncles on which leaves are completely absent. In one inflorescence there are approximately 120 fairly large (up to 2 centimeters in diameter) flowers. Its shiny large leaves, shaped like elephant ears, are collected in root rosette. That is why it is sometimes also called “elephant ears”. This plant can add zest to the architecture of any garden. Thus, it is often used when composing compositions with narrow-leaved and variegated plants such as arabis, hosta or phlox. They also look great when combined with rocks and small ponds.

There are only 10 types of bergenia, and most of them are suitable for growing in the garden. However, if you want to drink medicinal tea from this plant, then you will need to plant bergenia. To plant it, you need to choose a shaded place, preferably not far from trees, or rather in their shade. If you place it in a sunny place, then the bergenia will grow extremely poorly, and its development will occur slowly.

Sufficiently light, loose, moist and slightly alkaline soil is suitable for planting bergenia, and all because its horizontal, thick roots are very weak. They are located very close to the surface of the soil, and that is why it is so important to prevent the soil from drying out or stagnating moisture in it. In wild conditions, the root system is protected by fallen leaves, because they mulch the soil, helping to retain moisture in extremely dry weather, and they also protect the soil from waterlogging during heavy rains. When grown in gardens, these dry leaves are removed in the spring as garbage or collected as medicinal raw materials, and because of this, the root system is deprived of natural protection.

Bergenia is characterized by intensive growth. So, if you plant a couple of small sprouts side by side after 2 or 3 years, they will completely cover the surface of the soil. A large number of evergreen silky leaves grow from small adventitious roots of the mother root system. In this regard, bergenia completely suppresses the growth of weeds near it and there is no need to weed it.

Thick, dark green petioles of bergenia emerge from under the snow cover at the very beginning of spring. They grow very quickly, and already in the last weeks of April or the first weeks of May, flowering begins, which lasts until the end of June. Its flowers are collected in panicles and their petals have a slight coating of wax. These fragrant flowers are purple, bright red, pink or white. These spectacular panicles rise above the rosettes of ornamental leaves. IN autumn time these leaves become brown-lilac or bright bronze, and they remain that way until spring. Bergenia can bloom twice a year, and the second flowering occurs in August or September.

Reproduction

Bergenia can be propagated by dividing the bush or by seeds.

How to grow bergenia from seeds

Sowing seeds should be done in the first half of March. To do this, it is advisable to prepare a wooden box (size 50x70 centimeters) by pouring into it purchased land for flowers. Seeds are sown in grooves half a centimeter deep, located at a distance of 3 centimeters from each other. First, these grooves are carefully poured with warm water, and then the seeds are sprinkled lightly. Place the box in partial shade, in a warm place (temperature between 18–19 degrees). Watering should be done systematically. Sprouts will usually appear after 3 weeks. And after a month they can be thinned out. Seedlings are planted in the first days of June.

Shallow holes (up to 6 centimeters) are made in open ground, and it is recommended to place them in a checkerboard pattern of 40x40 centimeters. First, a small amount of sand is poured into each hole, and then an earth mixture consisting of humus, loamy and turf soil, as well as sand mixed in a ratio of 1:1:2:1. Plant development occurs extremely slowly. Before the onset of cold weather, as a rule, they have 2 leaves of shoots and this is quite normal. During the first wintering, the bergenia should be covered with peat or fallen leaves. In the following years, this will no longer be necessary. This medicinal plant will bloom 3 or 4 years after planting.

Features of bergenia propagation by dividing the bush

This method of propagating bergenia is quite simple. When new roots grow, they are very close to the surface of the soil, and therefore they can be easily dug up without damaging the mother rhizome. The plant is propagated in this way in May or June. The cuttings should have at least 3 buds and 2–3 leaves. The separated roots are planted in holes 10–15 centimeters deep and placed 30–50 centimeters apart. Planted cuttings need to be watered abundantly. The bergenia bush should be divided no more than once every 4 or 5 years. At the same time, do not forget that this flower grows in width and requires a large amount of free space.

Features of care

Caring for this plant is very simple. In autumn, dried inflorescences need to be removed, and in spring, withered leaves. In the 1st season, after the bergenia is planted, you need to mulch the ground (for any method of propagation). Watering is carried out as needed, but make sure that the soil does not dry out. It is also necessary to add mineral fertilizers to the soil. In the spring it is recommended to use the Kemira Lux universal fertilizer, and in the autumn - a solution of superphosphate fertilizer (20 grams per 10 liters of water per 1 square meter land).

Remember that bergenia has an extremely negative attitude towards transplants, and it grows and develops quite well in the same place for 10 years.

Main types

Bergenia thickleaf

The bush reaches a height of half a meter. Fragrant flowers are painted dark pink, and shiny leaves are light green. In autumn, the leaves change their color to brown-red.

Pacific bergenia

Its bell-shaped flowers are painted in a bright soft lilac color. The leaves are large (diameter up to 20 cm), round in shape.

Bergenia cordifolia

The height of the bush, depending on the growing conditions and plant variety, ranges from 20 to 40 centimeters. The flowers are colored pink, purple, white or lilac. It has lush heart-shaped leaves.

Video review

Bergenia planting and care in open ground

Green plants are especially pleasing to the eye in early spring, when the primary colors and colors are still awakening. Bergenia or Bergenia is one of those plants that grow in open ground and appear green already from under the snow. It is also called Siberian tea. This plant is colorful, especially considering its early flowering period; bergenia will look natural near a small pond.

Bergenia planting and care in open ground - is it worth planting and is the process of caring for it labor-intensive? This article will help you learn everything about the properties of bergenia and other important things related to this wonderful plant.

In addition to easy care and attractive appearance, it is good because it can live in one place for quite a long time. So you can forget about thinking about a new planting site and careful care. But what you shouldn’t forget about is the medicinal properties of bergenia.

Bergenia flower description. Photo

Bergenia is a perennial plant that remains green all year round. It has a dense and thick rhizome, slightly branched. The rhizome is located close to the surface. Bergenia leaves are large, round in shape, petiolate. The outer leaf blade has a smooth leathery structure.

Curious! Gardeners note the similarity of the leaves to elephant ears.

The stems of the plant reach a length of 30 cm in height. Bergenia flowers are goblet-shaped and located at the top of the stem, collected in racemose inflorescences. The color of the flowers is red, bright pink or white. The flowering time of bergenia begins in the spring and continues until the end of the growing season.

Badan types and varieties

There are different types of bergenia in the world, including:

1. Thickleaf (medicinal). As the name suggests, it is used in medicine. However, this does not exclude the possibility of planting this variety as an ornamental one.
2. Cordifolia. This variety of bergenia is popular among landscape designers. Gardeners like its high frost resistance, which is why the variety is widespread throughout Europe.
3. Purple. The leaves make it purple. Closer to winter they turn crimson in color, provided they grow in a sunny place.
4. Pacific. This variety is also called multi-colored. It is similar to thick-leaved bergenia and replaces it in the Far Eastern territories.

Bergenia thickleaf

bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)

Purple bergenia (Bergenia purpurea)

B. pacific (Bergenia pacifica kom)

Among the usual varieties there are also hybrid ones. They are distinguished by their particular unpretentiousness. The best ones:

• The hybrid variety Baby doll is hardy, like all its brothers. It differs in the design of the leaves (green base with bronze-colored edging) and the color of the delicate inflorescences (they are lilac-pink);
• The hybrid variety Bressingham White is a small variety with perfectly white flowers. Named after the place where the variety was bred;
• Hybrid variety Silberlicht - like the previous hybrid, this one is short with reddish peduncles, and the flowers are pure white, turning pink over time.

Bergenia Baby Doll

Bergenia Bressingham White

Bergenia ‘Silberlicht’

Planting bergenia in open ground in the Urals

Choosing a place where the plant will grow is easy. Is it a sunny or shady place – it doesn’t matter. Bergenia is unpretentious, so it will feel good both there and there.

Important! Creating familiar conditions will ensure full growth and preserve medicinal properties.

After choosing a place, it is worth finding out what type of soil it contains. It is best to plant in lightweight turf soil or soil consisting of a mixture of sand, clay and humus.

Important! Predominant clay soil, even diluted with sand and crushed stone, is not suitable for bergenia. Stagnation of water in the soil also negatively affects the condition of the flower.

The planting itself in open ground is carried out in spring or late summer. The soil is pre-prepared in three stages:

1. Weeds are being pulled out.
2. Dig a hole approximately 30 cm in diameter.
3. Fill it with water.

Next, the rhizome is placed in the prepared hole, sprinkled with earth and compacted. Often a small layer of sawdust or peat is poured on top of the soil layer.
The first watering after planting in open ground will be required after 5-7 days.

Important! Badan is growing in breadth. It is worth taking this into account in order to prevent “conflicts” with neighboring plants.

Planting bergenia in open ground in the Urals is no different from planting in other areas. You should know that the inhabitants of the Urals were among the first to discover the properties of the plant.

Caring for bergenia in spring and autumn. Flowering period

Care, like planting, will not take much time, and in order for the plant to please you for as long as possible, you need to follow a few fairly simple rules for care:

• timely watering;
• suitable feeding;
• cleaning up fallen leaves;
• mulching.

Important! In spring, last year's leaves are removed, and new shoots are slightly shortened.

If for some reason the soil cannot be mulched, then there is no need to remove last year’s leaves. They are perfect and, moreover, will do all the work themselves.

As for feeding, mineral fertilizers are needed in the periods before and after flowering. Mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil after flowering in 2-3 weeks.

Badan can live in one place for about 7-8 years, after which it is necessary to transplant it to a new place. You should not overuse transplants - the recovery process will not have time to complete, and the plant will begin to hurt.

Propagation of bergenia

Unlike planting and care in open ground, the propagation process is long and not so simple. For gardeners who are not afraid of difficulties, this section of the article will help increase the number of bergenia. So, reproduction can be done in two ways.

1 way. Cuttings

For propagation in this way, strong uterine bushes that have reached at least six years of age are selected. Between May and August, part of the rhizome with a rosette of leaves is cut off after flowering, and the top few leaves are left.

Important! A bush that has at least three dormant buds in the leaf axils will take root better.

The cuttings are planted in loose soil, deepening to the rosette. The rhizomes should be at a depth of 4 cm. It is advisable to plant them at a distance of about 30 cm. The first flowering will occur in 2-3 years, since young plants do not form new rosettes, but in this way you can get 10-20 new bushes.

Method 2. Seminal

To propagate using this method, small bergenia seeds are collected and then sown. You can do this in several ways:

Sowing seeds in the fall, immediately after collection

Seeds are sown in dug up and weeded soil. After preparing the soil, humus is poured into it along with sand and everything is mixed into a homogeneous soil. Then the seeds are sown evenly.

In the first 2 years, seedlings develop slowly and need regular watering. Care must be taken that fast-growing weeds do not interfere with the development of sprouts by the falling shadow. For the winter, the seedlings are covered with leaves or lutrasil (spandbond).

As soon as winter ends, the seedlings are planted in a box, and the box itself is placed in the remaining snow. At the beginning of summer it should be planted in open ground. There is no need to worry about new bushes - bergenia tolerates picking calmly.

Sowing seeds in early May

The sowing process is the same as in the first method. Its only peculiarity is that spring sowing will sprout in the second week. As soon as the length of the sprouts reaches 8-10 cm, they are planted in open ground. This usually happens towards mid-summer. Plants grown by seed bloom for 3-4 years.

Pests and diseases of bergenia

The chemical composition of this plant protects itself from most pests. However, in shady places, the slobbering pennies are annoying, and nematodes living in the soil can periodically attack. There are many ways to get rid of the latter.

Here is one of them - just place the rhizome of the affected bush in potassium permanganate - this will become a quarantine for the plant. After the procedures, it should be transplanted to a new place, and the previous one should be treated with chemicals against worms.

Preparing bergenia for winter

As mentioned earlier, bergenia is frost-resistant, but during spring frosts it becomes necessary to cover the bushes due to the possible loss of flower buds. However, this event is more desirable than necessary.

Important! Evergreen perennials, such as bergenia, cannot be covered for the winter. Covered, they overcook, resulting in fungal infections.

Bergenia: combination with other plants

The best combination of bergenia with other plants is achieved if they are not similar to each other. That is, they have different leaf shapes and a different range of colors. When planting bergenia, you should take into account the location of nearby low ground cover plants.

Bergenia in landscape design

Bergenia is a perennial that is suitable for decorating gardens designed in a natural style. The varieties most often used in decoration are Bergenia crassifolla (thick-leaved bergenia) and the cultivar Bergenia cordifolla (heart-leaved bergenia). On an alpine hill, the plant is placed on the northern, northwestern or northeastern slope.

In landscape design, bergenia bushes show the border of a flower bed, or are used to emphasize lines. You can also create an array around trees or shrubs.

The healing properties of bergenia

With proper planting and care of bergenia, the plant will delight you with medicinal material. Since ancient times, bergenia has saved people from illnesses. Its ability to stop bleeding and inflammation, as well as its possible use as an antiseptic, make it unique and extremely useful.

The listed properties do not constitute a complete list of the medicinal properties of this plant; you can add relief from oral candidiasis, fibroids, and erosion of the cervix - bergenia is a salvation from this.

Important! Bergenia roots are contraindicated for people with tachycardia, hypotension and increased blood clotting.

Hypotonic patients can use a decoction of bergenia roots if blood pressure-raising herbs are added to it. This is necessary to eliminate the pressure-lowering effect.

Bergenia was often brewed and drunk instead of tea. This drink with a pleasant aroma not only gave energy, but also improved blood pressure, strengthened the walls of blood vessels and helped improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The recipe for bergenia tea is quite simple: last year's brown leaves, collected in the spring, are dried and crushed.

Important! Green leaves cannot be collected or stored, as they have not undergone natural fermentation and can be toxic.

At the next stage of preparing bergenia tea, the crushed leaves are brewed in boiling water. You can add a little black tea to the infusion for a richer taste.

If tea is used for medicinal purposes, then you need to drink it 3 times a day before meals. Bergenia tea can also help fight diarrhea, depression and fever. Tibetan medicine, known throughout the world, uses this drink as a remedy for tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Important! Long-term use of bergenia decoction leads to constipation and disruption of intestinal motility.

Bergenia has been used not only in medicine. In cosmetology I also use plants to combat seborrhea of ​​the hair and face by making various lotions. Bergenia cosmetics have the ability to tighten pores, which is why they are used in the treatment of acne. Bergenia can also help get rid of sweating and dermatitis.

Bergenia-based drugs are used not only in the treatment of human diseases - it is also widely used in veterinary medicine.

Experiments conducted using this plant have proven effective treatment for ARVI, whooping cough and other respiratory infections. Even the properties listed above do not end the list of all possible ones! Cooking is another place where bergenia has found application, but that’s a completely different story...