Bergenia Flirt - Elephant's Ears

The 'Flirt' Hybrid Bergenia is a fairly recent variety of Bergenia that stands out for its small size, floribundance, and very dark foliage in winter. Charming in spring with its deep pink flowers, seductive in winter wrapped in its narrow, frosty purple and black foliage, beautiful all year round, this little colourful plant brings back the nobility of this simple perennial often called Elephant's Ears. A bit precious, this Bergenia is just as sturdy as its cousins with large leaves planted by our grandmothers. Use it to decorate a border, enhance a semi-shaded rock garden, or even in a pretty jar on the terrace or balcony.

The 'Flirt' Bergenia belongs to the Saxifrage family and is a recent variety derived, among others, from Bergenia cordifolia, a very resistant and hardy species native to the Altai Mountains in Siberia. 'Flirt' reaches a height of 20cm (8in) and a width of 30cm (12in) when fully grown, with a rather slow growth rate. This variety maintains a compact habit and produces over 30 flower spikes in late spring from the first year.
The 'Flirt' Bergenia is an evergreen herbaceous perennial with a creeping habit and densely clustered growth. It grows from a thick, spreading rhizome enveloped by the sheaths of the base leaves. Over time, it spreads very little, but its growth is so slow that it can hardly be considered invasive. Secondary stems appear here and there, eventually forming a small colony. The small, narrow, leathery, basal leaves form rosettes and are glossy and shiny, bright green in spring and summer, and take on a plum colour in autumn, sometimes even almost black in cold weather. They are very thick, of modest size, and oval in shape, with reddish veins. The flowering occurs in March-April and consists of panicles of true pink flowers, deeper in colour near the purple centre. They are carried by sturdy, slightly hairy, red-coloured stems. Quite long-lasting, they can be used in fresh spring bouquets.

The 'Flirt' Bergenia will grow well in most soils, but a humus-rich and moist soil is preferable. Dry soils tend to limit growth. It thrives in partial shade or sunny but not scorching positions. If you are looking for a charming and sturdy perennial that will be beautiful all year round, look no further than this Bergenia. It can be used advantageously in pots, rock gardens, borders, as a ground cover, or at the base of deciduous bushes that allow winter sun but protect it from summer heat. For covering a slope, it can be associated with perennial geraniums (Geranium macrorrhizum), primroses, and in woodland areas with Epimediums, oriental Hellebores, and Hepaticas with incredible blue flowers...


Bergenia cordifolia, like most Bergenias, is not afraid of snow. In nature, this plant only grows where snow is abundant in winter because it provides excellent protection for the foliage.