Why are my leaves turning red?

This is a natural response to cold temperatures and is a desirable trait for winter interest.

How often should I divide it?

Divide every 3 to 5 years in the spring to keep the clump vigorous.

Pflanzenratgeber

Siberian tea.

Bergenia crassifolia

Aussprache ber-GEN-ee-uh krass-ih-FOH-lee-uh

Auch bekannt als Elephant's ears, Elephant's-ears, Elephant-Ears, Elephant-ears [Bergenia crassifolia], Heart-leaved Elephant's-ears, Heartleaf Bergenia, Korean elephant-ear, Siberian Tea

Siberian tea — Foto von Léo Souillard (CC BY) über iNaturalist

Bergenia is a tough, evergreen perennial that brings lovely texture to shady spots. It is famous for its large, leathery leaves that often turn bronze or purple in the winter. You will love the clusters of bell shaped flowers that pop up in early spring.

Ein weiteres Foto von Siberian tea — Foto von John Lyden (CC BY) über gbif

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe: Einfach
Pflanzenart: Perennial
Licht: Partial shade to full shade
Licht im Innenraum: Mittleres Licht
Gießen: Alle 5 bis 10 Tage
Endgröße: 12 to 18 inches
Wachstum: Mittel
Winterhärte: USDA 3 bis 8
Blütezeit: Early to mid spring

Pflege

Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy to prevent rot. Watch for wilting leaves which usually signal that the plant needs a drink. Remove any damaged or dead foliage in the spring to keep the plant looking tidy.

Gießen: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Düngen: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Schneiden: Trim back old or damaged leaves once a year in early spring.
Umtopfen: Repot only when the rhizomes become too crowded for the container.
Boden: Moist, well draining soil
Boden-pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperatur: -30 bis 30°C
Luftfeuchtigkeit: 40 bis 70%
Trockenheitstoleranz: Mittel
Lebensdauer: Perennial, typically 10 plus years
Wildverbiss-Resistenz: Hoch

Anzeichen fürs Umtopfen

Roots growing out of the drainage holes
Plant growth slows significantly
The clump has become too large for the container

Sicherheit

Menschen: The plant is generally considered non-toxic but may cause mild gastrointestinal irritation if ingested.
Kinder: The plant is not considered a significant risk to children, though ingestion of any garden plant should be discouraged.
Kontaktallergene: The leaves have a leathery texture that rarely causes skin irritation.
Allergene in der Luft: There are no significant reports of respiratory allergies associated with this plant.
Essbarkeit: While historically used in tea, this plant contains tannins that can cause stomach upset if consumed in large quantities.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

Large leathery evergreen leaves
Thick fleshy rhizomes
Clusters of bell shaped flowers
Leaves turn bronze in winter

Höhe: 0,3 bis 0,45m
Breite: 0,3 bis 0,6m
Blätter: dark green, bronze, evergreen
Blüten: pink, magenta, 1 bis 2cm

Häufige Probleme

Slugs and snails — These pests feed on the thick leaves, leaving behind unsightly holes.
Leaf spot — Fungal infections can cause dark spots on the foliage in overly damp conditions.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung: division
Pflanzzeit: spring, autumn
Überwinterung: Leave the foliage intact as it provides protection for the crown during winter. Remove any damaged or dead leaves in early spring.
Im Kübel: It grows well in containers, provided the pot is at least 30 centimeters wide to accommodate the spreading rhizomes.

Division

Dig up the entire clump in early spring after flowering.
Use a sharp spade or knife to cut the rhizomes into sections.
Ensure each section has at least one healthy bud or rosette of leaves.
Replant the divisions at the same depth they were previously growing.
Water thoroughly until established.

Plant in groups of three to five to create a dense, weed suppressing mat that looks great year round.

Gute Pflanzpartner

Funkie — They share similar shade requirements and provide contrasting leaf textures.
Polystichum — The delicate fronds of ferns look lovely against the bold, leathery leaves of the bergenia.

Botanisches

Familie: Saxifragaceae
Gattung: Bergenia
Ordnung: Saxifragales
Klasse: Magnoliopsida
Ursprüngliche Heimat: Central Asia, specifically Siberia and Mongolia.
Artenschutz: This plant is not of conservation concern and is widely cultivated.

It thrives in rocky, mountainous areas where its thick leaves help it retain moisture and survive temperature extremes.

Nutzen für Wildtiere: early season nectar source
Bestäuber: Bienen, Schmetterlinge
Verwendung: groundcover, winter interest, rock gardens, border edging

Im Jahresverlauf

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Blüte

Fruchtbildung

Laub

Ökologische Zeigerwerte

Salzgehalt: 2/9
Bodenreaktion: 5/9
Licht: 4/9
Temperatur: 3/9
Feuchtigkeit: 5/9
Nährstoffe: 5/9

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Why are my leaves turning red?: This is a natural response to cold temperatures and is a desirable trait for winter interest.
How often should I divide it?: Divide every 3 to 5 years in the spring to keep the clump vigorous.

Woher der Name kommt

The genus honors German botanist Karl August von Bergen, while the species name crassifolia refers to the thick, fleshy leaves.

Gut zu wissen

It is commonly known as elephant ears due to the large, leathery shape of the leaves.
The leaves are very tough and can withstand significant cold and snow cover.
It is native to the harsh climates of Siberia and Mongolia.

Auch in

Probleme mit Siberian tea?

Diese Seite bietet allgemeine Infos. Pocket Botanist erkennt Probleme anhand eines Fotos deiner echten Pflanze, passt das Gießen an dein Licht und deinen Standort an und erinnert dich an die Pflege.

App holen

Dieser Ratgeber wurde mit KI erstellt und mit der GBIF-Taxonomie abgeglichen. Er dient zur allgemeinen Information und ersetzt keine gärtnerische oder tierärztliche Beratung. Hier erfährst du, wie wir diese Ratgeber erstellen.