Bergenia ‘Overture’ (‘Eroica’)

Description

Bergenia ‘Overture’ (‘Eroica’)

Handsome evergreen glossy green leaves are overlaid in Autumn onwards with shades of red and copper and can turn bright scarlet on exposed sun drenched leaves. Bergenia ‘Overture’ (‘Eroica’) is one of the best for reliable winter leaf colour. The flowers are brightest magenta, produced from early to late spring. 30cm. Clumps are fairly compact in growth with flower spikes that are also relatively dense. Will even tolerate dry shade

Bergenia are native of damp rocky woodland and meadows and in cultivation are remarkably easy to grow in either sun or light shade in anything but the most boggy or dry, hot sites.

They are valuable for their bold, glossy leaves that are, in most varieties, evergreen. Frequently they colour spectacularly in Autumn and Winter taking on rich red tones that make them a significant garden feature. In some cultivars and species, notably Bergenia ciliate, Bergenia stracheyi and Bergenia x spathulata, the larger leaves are often lost in colder weather. The lovely twists in the leaves and rich colouring make them excellent candidates for the flower arranger. They make excellent ground cover. They make excellent alternatives to Hosta on drier and windier sites.

The flowers are largely in the white to ruddy pink range, held in dense heads in Spring. Bergenia emiensis and its hybrids have recently brought more open heads of lax flowers into the mix. Flowering is better in plants grown in sites with more light and ample moisture.

Bergenia can be grown very successfully in pots and were once favourite edging plants with Gertrude Jekyll. They have been cultivated since the 17th Century when Bergenia cordifolia (from Siberia) was appreciated for its hairless rubbery green leaves and tolerance of both heat and cold.

Early breeding was undertaken by Mr T.Smith of Newry, using Bergenia cordifolia and Bergenia purpurascens. Whilst many of the original cultivars, praised by William Robinson, are now lost, breeding has continued by Arends and Klose and more recently by Eric Smith and Jim Archibald. It was during the Bergenia revival in the 19th that William Robinson selected the first dark purple variant.  Bergenias have now been so intensively interbred that few of the modern cultivars are assigned to any particular species.

In general, cultivars of B.cordifolia have hairless rubbery green leaves. B.purpurascens (from Africa, Humalayas and SW China) is less preading, has narrow, vertical leaves, colouring deep crimson in Autumn. B.stracheyi (from Afganhistan and N.India) is less hardy and can be prone to frost damage. Eric Smiths breeding of the composer series is based on B.stracheyi.

Bergenia is named after the German Botanist and professor at Frankfurt University Karl August von Bergen (1704-60) who made an extensive catalogue of plants from his surrounding area ‘Flora Francofurtana’ Bergenia originate in Eastern Asia.

Begenia was previously known by the name Megasea.

Bergenia – Saxifragaceae