Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Heartleaf bergenia
Bergenia cordifolia (Haw.) Sternb.
Also known as: Elephant's ears, Pigsqueak
Family: Saxifragaceae
30 to 40 cm tall
Planted in borders and beds, ordinary soils, tolerates drought and shade
Flowering: March – April
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The French nickname meaning "cobblers' plant" comes from the thick, leathery texture of its large leaves, once compared to the leather worked by cobblers — foliage so tough that it stays decorative even in midwinter.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, very large, rounded and heart-shaped, leathery, taking on reddish tints in winter
🌸 Flowers
Bright pink, grouped in dense clusters on a reddish flower stem
🍎 Fruits
Small dry capsule
🪵 Bark
Perennial herbaceous clump formed of thick, fleshy rhizomes
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Siberia and Mongolia; widely grown in France as a border perennial
🐝 Value for pollinators
Early, nectar-rich flowering, a resource for the first bees of spring
✂️ Horticultural uses
Very hardy border perennial, planted for its decorative evergreen foliage all year round and its early pink flowering, an effective ground cover even in poor soil
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known notable toxicity
🌱 Known cultivars
'Purpurea'
The cultivar 'Purpurea' is distinguished by deeper magenta-pink flowers and by foliage that turns deep purple in winter, whereas the species keeps green leaves and paler pink flowers.
🌿 Other Saxifragaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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