Belamcanda chinensis
(see Iris domestica)Bergenia crassifolia
heartleaf bergenia
SaxifragaceaePink flowers; shiny, round evergreen leaves
12–18 in. high; 12 in. wide
Part shade; full sun with moisture
Blooms April–May
Zones 3–8
pruning Deadhead to the ground to
help maintain appearance. Plants
remain semi-evergreen though are
often damaged or bronzed over the
winter. Do not cut back in the autumn;
wait until early spring when faded
leaves can be cut or pulled off the
plant. Some deadleafing during dry
summers, or if grown in too much sun,
is usually needed to keep plants
looking their best.
other maintenance Adaptable to
a variety of soils, including some
tolerance to drought conditions, but
does not tolerate overly wet conditions.
Prefers moist soils high in organic
matter. Tolerates alkaline soil. Divide
in the spring when clump opens up inthe center, about every 4 years or
longer. Rhizome may require a
topdressing of compost if it is pushing
up out of the soil. Flower buds are
damaged in harsh winters. Relatively
low-maintenance plant.
related plantS Bergenia cordifolia
‘Winterglut’ Winter Glow sports
magenta-red flowers on 16-in. pani-
cles. Its reddish autumn and winter
foliage is beautiful in cut flower
arrangements.Boltonia asteroides
‘Snowbank’
‘Snowbank’ boltonia
compoSitaeDaisylike white flower heads; narrow leaves
3–5 ft. high; 3–4 ft. wide
Full sun–part shade
Blooms September–October
Zones 4–9
pruning Plants normally don’t
require staking if grown in full sun and
sheltered from winds, but if grown in
more exposed areas, or in part shade
or overly rich soil, they have a ten-
dency to fall over. Plants respond well
to pruning before flowering, and it can
be done in several different ways,
depending on the final objective.
Pruning of ‘Snowbank’ boltonia can be
used to control height, stagger bloom,
or to layer individual plants or a large
planting. Plants can be cut back by half
to two-thirds in early June and the
outer stems layered for fuller,
self-supporting plants that grow
shorter than unpruned plants with
minimal or no delay in bloom. Alter-
natively, plants can be cut back by
about a third in mid-July, in which case
they bloom at 2 1/2 ft. tall, rather than 4
ft., and 1 week later than unpruned
plants. It also creates an interesting
layering effect. If less dramatic height
control is desired, plants can simply be
pinched or have a few inches removed
in early July. I never deadhead Boltonia
because it flowers late in the season
until the frost takes it. Plants that are
sturdy and self-supporting do not needBergenia crassifolia