Valued for their pretty flowers and showy foliage, species in the Bergenia genus are tough, durable, clumping evergreens that thrive in a wide range of conditions, including freezing weather.
In late winter to early spring, eye-catching panicles of dainty pink, purple, or white flowers bloom atop sturdy, upright stems.
Then in fall, the large glossy green leaves take on beautiful shades of bronze, burgundy, maroon, and plum, remaining colorful through the cold months – a striking and welcome splash of color on a gray or snowy background!
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And although they have excellent cold tolerance, harsh weather conditions can desiccate or shred the showy leaves and freeze/thaw cycles can heave plant crowns out of the soil.
To ensure they stay healthy and happy through the cold months, a few preventative steps are all that’s needed for the plants to resume robust growth again in spring!
In our guide to growing bergenia, we discuss how to cultivate these low-maintenance perennials in your landscape.
If you’re ready to learn about bergenia winter care, let’s get down to the details.
Here’s what you’ll find ahead:
Bergenia Basics
Perennial bergenia plants are grown as much for their attractive glossy foliage as they are for the spires of pretty mauve, pink, or white flowers.
Also known as “pigsqueak” for the noise created when rubbing the thick, rubbery leaves together, these hardy evergreens can be cultivated in light shade to full sun.
They prefer rich soil and average moisture, but must be planted in a well-draining site.
Overwatering is one of the few issues bergenia plants can’t handle, and overly wet or poorly draining soil can cause problems like root and crown rot.
Popularly grown as a ground cover for shady areas, bergenia also makes a handsome addition to mixed beds, borders, and containers or in cottage or gravel gardens.
And while bergenia has good drought resistance once established, in sunny spots they’ll need more frequent watering to prevent them drying out completely – water deeply when the top inch or two of soil is dry.
They also handle a wide range of temperatures, with most varieties suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8.
Along with their spring clusters of pretty, bell-shaped flowers, bergenias delight with their lush green foliage that transforms into dazzling, deep shades of bronze, burgundy, plum, and scarlet in fall, keeping their colors through the cold season.
They provide the best foliage colors with full sun exposure in winter, although in the summer the plants prefer a little bit of shade, especially in hot afternoon sunlight.
Planting them under the canopy of deciduous trees like lilacs, maples, and black walnuts – yes, they’re juglone resistant! – is a convenient way to provide the year-round lighting they enjoy.
And while most varieties can breeze through cold snaps and freezing temperatures, cold winds can cause the handsome leaves to tear or become desiccated, causing the thick tissue to brown and dry out in random spots and along the margins.
Protect the Foliage
To keep the leaves vibrantly colorful and healthy in freezing temperatures, water plants deeply before the ground freezes.
Plants that are well-hydrated before freezing temperatures arrive are better equipped to handle weather extremes than drought-stressed specimens.
The best way to keep the leaves whole and healthy is to plant your stock in locations that are protected from the worst of the season’s harsh winds.
Use natural elements like berms, evergreen barriers or hedges, large boulders, fencing, or a stump to create windbreaks.
If you don’t have natural windbreaks, you can still protect your plants with an easily constructed windscreen.
To make a screen, insert a few stakes in a half circle in front of the plants where they’re exposed to windy weather.
Staple some clear plastic sheeting to the stakes, ensuring the plastic extends all the way down to the ground – burying a few inches at the bottom is helpful – and rises six to 12 inches above your plants.
Remove the screen once cold winds have abated for the season.
Occasionally, less hardy varieties may suffer foliage damage and die back if hit with cold temperatures outside of their usual hardiness range.
Dead or damaged leaves can be removed in early spring once all danger of frost has passed.
Mulch the Roots
Bergenia have a well-earned reputation for excellent cold tolerance, with many varieties able to withstand temperatures as low as -35°F – that’s cold!
They do best in humus rich soil with average or light moisture, but in wet conditions or standing water, issues like crown and root rot can be problematic – and when combined with freezing temperatures, the results can be deadly.
To keep the root zone healthy and problem free during the cold months, ensure your pigsqueak is planted in well-draining soil.
You don’t want the soil to dry out too quickly though.
Give your plants what they need for strong roots in the growing season, and they’ll be in the best shape to withstand the worst of winter’s weather, like heaving from freeze and thaw cycles.
“Heaving” is used to describe a common winter problem that occurs from repeated freeze/thaw cycles, where freezing temperatures are replaced by warm ones, which are then followed by another freeze.
This thawing and freezing action of water in the soil can cause a plant’s crown and root mass to lift, twist, and heave above the soil line, stripping them of their insulating cover.
The resulting exposure of the crown and roots to harsh conditions and freezing temperatures often causes irreparable damage.
To protect your plants from heaving in freeze/thaw cycles provide them with a thick winter mulch.
Winter mulch is best applied after the first hard frost. This is because the mulch helps to regulate the soil temperature. When air temperatures start to fluctuate, the soil temperature remains in a more stable state.
Apply three to four inches of porous natural materials such as bark mulch, conifer needles, evergreen boughs, pebbles, or straw. Using porous materials helps to prevent trapping and pooling of surface water.
Spread the mulch over the entire root zone, snuggling it up close to the base of the foliage, but not covering it.
As spring nears, pull the mulch away from the crown area then remove it entirely once all danger of frost has passed.
Handsome, Glossy Leaves
Bergenia are attractive evergreens with a tough nature and excellent cold hardiness, but they still need a little help to get through winter in the best shape possible!
To keep the handsome, glossy leaves intact, give the plants a deep watering before the ground freezes – drought-stressed specimens are more susceptible to damage from freezing conditions than well hydrated ones.
Also, a natural windbreak, or one you make yourself, is the best way to avoid the shredding and desiccation of leaves from cold winds.
Give your plants a nice, thick mulch to keep them in the ground and prevent the crown and roots from heaving during freeze and thaw cycles.
Do you folks have any favorite tips for overwintering bergenia? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
And for more tips about growing bergenia in your garden, have a read of these guides next:
