Description: 

Bergenia crassifolia In or B. cordifolia, also known as winter hydrangea, appear from late January to early spring, depending on the region, in small clusters of pink flowers. Unlike the hydrangea is a perennial rootstock of powerful, very strong because it comes from Siberia and Central Asia, where the climate is very extreme. 
 The leaves are evergreen, large and quite hard, bright green, with well marked ribs, springing from the rhizome, where their long stems at the base take on a reddish color. There are varieties where the leaves are purple, in others, the copper turns green the effect of cold in winter. Usually the plants are rounded bergenias 30 to 50 centimeters high and can develop a sort of trunk with age. In the middle of winter begins to take bunches of bell-shaped flowers, usually pink, although some varieties can give magenta flowers, crimson, purple or white. May flower again in autumn. 
  

Care and cultivation: 

Need a location in partial shade, especially in regions of strong sun and a fertile substrate and fresh calcareous soils to be appropriate. Withstands poor dry soils and lack of water so watering should be moderate, but without flooding, which can cause rotting of the rhizome. 
The bergenia requires little care. It is enough to cut through the base of dead leaves and flowers to keep blooming last until summer, but is purely cosmetic issue. However, the snails and slugs are very tasty leaves and stems, so you have to keep them away. 

Uses: 

It is perfect in rock gardens, borders and as floorcoverings. But also live well in pots and containers, ensuring that not much sun, such as the substrate dries before and can stress the plant. 

Multiplication: 

This is done by division of plant being the best times of year in the fall or spring, so are to multiply the copies through rhizome segments are provided with a bud with leaves.