Bergenia Ouvertüre - Elephant's Ears

Bergenia 'Overture' is a perennial that offers the remarkable spectacle of its intense magenta flowers in late winter, which is followed by the equally remarkable purple autumn colouration of its leaves. It is ideal for bordercompositions and rockeries.

The 'Overture' Bergenia is a perennial with a spreading and creeping habit reaching a height of 40cm (16in) and a spread of 50cm (20in). Its evergreen foliage is green with a purple tinge, composed of compound leaves arranged in a rosette, thick, glossy, and leathery, with a wide and round shape that turns purple during the winter months. In spring, during the months of May to June, light green and then purple stems will bear small pendulous bell-shaped flowers of intense magenta with a brown-yellow centre. A colour for every season.

Easy to grow and not demanding, it has good hardiness (-15°C (5°F)). It likes rich, humus-rich, well-drained soils, but can also tolerate ordinary soil. With slow growth, it will be ideal for rockeries or as ground cover, in a sunny or partially shaded position. It will pair well with Stipas, Begonias, or Phlox.