Bergenia delavayi

RHS Plant Profile
Delavay bergenia

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Delavay bergenia RHS
Delavay bergenia RHS

Synonyms

Bergenia delavayi

RHS Recommended

Award of Garden Merit Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial

An evergreen perennial to 40cm, with erect, oval, strongly purple-bronzed leaves with a rather open habit; the colour deepens in good light and cold weather. Slender reddish stems bear pendant clusters of deep pink flowers in spring

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5
Drought Resistance
Yes

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Saxifragaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Genus
Bergenia are evergreen rhizomatous perennials with leathery, rounded leaves and dense, erect clusters of bell-shaped pink or white flowers in spring
Name Status
Synonym
Plant Range
E Himalaya

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows well in most humus-rich soils but dislikes extremes of heat and drought. Frosts may damage early flowers. See bergenia cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division or by rhizome section cuttings in Spring or Autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Banks and slopes
  • Garden edging
  • Ground cover
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Remove faded flower spikes and older brown or damaged leaves in spring

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevil and slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to a leaf spot