Badan fascinates gardeners with large glossy leaves and bright spring flowers. The foliage is mostly evergreen. In milder climates it has a rich bronze color in autumn and winter. The leaves themselves are quite attractive. And when the April flowers appear, there will be a firm conviction that, having planted this plant in the flowerbed, you were not mistaken.

Heartwood incense for open ground

A herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the family Saxifragaceae. The botanical name of the plant is Bergenia cordifolia (bergenia cordifolia). This is a perennial that will slowly spread, forming a soil cover in a partially shady garden. The more sun a plant receives, the more moisture it will require. However, in the natural environment, bergenia grows well in the mountains in the sun.

Gardeners note the amazing color of the leaves of the herbaceous culture, and, notably, it can change from green in one night - turn red. This occurs when the air temperature drops to zero degrees. Amazing purplish-bronze color will be visible in winter even through the snow cover. Bergenia leaves are heart-shaped. Small dark pink flowers in thick panicles appear inside or above the foliage on thick stems in April. They attract bees and butterflies.

The plant is suitable for outdoor cultivation for 10 years in one place.

Varieties of incense hearty

Bergenia plants are popular among beginners and already experienced gardeners, as they enchant with their large thick leaves, which are further emphasized by attractive and spectacular colors. The market has several beautiful varieties of frankincense. The species will grow well on most soil types with a prerequisite for good drainage; in most of Russia this is not difficult to achieve.

• Among landscape designers, frankincense has a year-round interest, because it has a number of advantages:
• all-weather attractiveness and decorativeness;
• contrasting foliage and texture;
• unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil;
• low operating costs;
• the presence of bright foliage in winter;
• efficient use of space.

Winterglut

The stem of the variety extends from 30 to 45 cm in height. The flowers have a purplish red hue. They appear in panicles inside or above the foliage at the tops of the stems. From April to May, you can observe flowering plants. Winterglut is known for its reddish color of autumn and winter foliage, which can reach 25 cm in length and 20 cm in width. A shady place or partial shade is suitable for planting. Easy to grow in well-drained soil.

The variety is tolerant to a wide range of soils, but prefers moist humus.. This evergreen plant feels great in the southern regions of Russia and can be affected in winter in cold climates. To restore a grassy culture, you need to remove all damaged foliage from the end of winter to the beginning of spring. The variety is easily grown from seeds.

Rotblum

Rothblum is a stunted (up to 40 cm) evergreen plant with bronze-green wavy, roundish, leathery leaves. In the fall they turn bright red. From early spring to early summer, tall stems hold clusters of dark pink funnel-shaped flowers for 35 days. They are a valuable source of nectar for early pollinators. The bronze-green form of foliage lasts most of the year. The leaves turn red in winter. The plant does not like hot and dry conditions, but Bergenia Rotblum has high frost resistance. The plant prefers any well-drained soil. It can grow both in full sun and in the shade.

Did you know? Bergenia crassifolia leaves can be used to make a tea drink. Also, the roots and the green part of the plant contain a significant amount of tannin, which can be useful for tanning the skin and winemaking.

The compact growth of the plant and the beautiful color of the flowers and leaves makes the Rotblum variety suitable for bordering flower beds or for decorating rock gardens. This bergenia can be used as a contrasting plant among softer foliage crops such as ferns. Also, the culture is suitable for decorating an informal garden and patio.

Lilac rose

This unpretentious variety has been popular with gardeners for many years. Lilac-pink small flowers delight those around from April to May.

Thick, leathery, rounded leaves are 28–29 cm long from the base to the end of the leaf and 12–13 cm across. Light green color remains most of the growing season, but in the fall it becomes smoky red. Leaves retain this color throughout the winter. In very cold regions below zone 5 (Moscow and the Moscow region, Kazan, Perm, Chelyabinsk), Bergenia Lilac Rose can freeze. The plant does not like frequent transplants. In one place it can grow for more than 10 years, and it doesn’t matter if it is shadowy or sunny. Suitable for group plantings with partner cultures such as irises or astilbe. Propagate the plant by dividing the rhizome in the autumn.

The cultivation of incense

Bergenia allows a wide range of soil types. It responds well to rich loamy soil; the pH can be from slightly acidic to neutral - 5.8–7.0. Neither flowers nor leaves fade from a lack of light and moisture, which is why gardeners love this plant so much. Nothing will happen to badan, even if the conditions of care are not ideal. Growing Bergenia in loamy soil with the addition of organic substances provides the necessary nutrients to the grassy crop.

Sowing

If you have the patience and desire to grow a large number of plants of frankincense for the landscape, you can start with seeds. Make it easy and inexpensive, but for a long time. Before sowing the seeds of berry, make sure that all suitable conditions for growing a groundcover are created. For sowing, you need a sterile starting mixture, which is filled with prepared containers. Do it in March in greenhouse conditions. Seeds are not deepened into the soil, they are only slightly pressed into it without covering with soil, i.e. the seed material needs light to give seedlings.

Did you know? The large leaves of Bergenia crassifolia can make a noise similar to the sound made by a pig when rubbed against each other. From here came the popular name of Badan — "Pork squeak."

Growing seedlings

The germination of canoe is often uneven, but after 3-6 weeks you can see how all the seeds germinate at a stable temperature of +21 ... + 24 ° С. You need to moisten the soil all the time, until the seedlings are ready for planting. When sowing seeds not in greenhouse conditions, do this in November. Such a process of stratification will take a lot of time, since the first year only a rosette is formed, consisting of 4-5 leaves. The first pick should be done next fall, for the winter to mulch the soil cover in the boxes. And for planting in open ground seedlings will be ready only in the spring.

Picking seedlings

Seedlings dive in June with an interval of 5-7 cm from each other in a row. The row spacing should be 15 cm. Some gardeners bypass the dive process and immediately plant the frankincense in open ground in the first summer month. Flowering during seed germination begins only 3-4 years after sowing.

Landing and care

It is important to understand in which period you should plant a heart-shaped frankincense. Also, the plant will require some care, especially in the first few weeks. Proper care of grassy crops is the key to a gardener's success.

Video: Planting a canopy

Dates and features of landing

When to plant fermentation, depends on the method of reproduction. When growing plants from seeds, without diving it, planted incense in June. If the dive process was completed, landing is carried out in August.

Blossom plants grow well in areas with hot or cool summers if they have proper lighting and humidity. For good health, moist places are suitable for them.

Landing Algorithm:

1. On open ground, shallow holes of 6–8 cm are prepared with an interval of 35 to 45 cm, preferably in a checkerboard pattern.
2. Lay on the bottom a 1.5-cm layer of sand as drainage.
3. By the method of transshipment, a seedling is planted together with an earthen lump and instilled.
4. Watered.

Watering

Badan suffers short periods of drought, but it is better not to allow the soil to dry out. She should remain moderately moist all the time. A moist root zone can be maintained with an 8 cm mulch layer. Plants growing in deep shade can survive drought periods better than plants placed in a sunny place.

Transfer

Grassy crops do not need to be transplanted often - this is done at least after the first decade. However, if bergenia has grown too much and aggressively “captured” the territory, you can do this earlier, 5 years after planting. Do this in the first month of autumn by dividing the bush. It is necessary that the offspring had healthy roots. The lower leaves are torn off.

Transplant Algorithm:

1. Landing place clear of weeds. Prepare fertile soil (5 kg of humus, 5 kg of peat mix, 2 tbsp. L. Nitrophoski per 1 m²). The interval between plants should be more than 30 cm, but less than 40 cm.
2. Make the depth of the hole based on the root system (5-7 cm).
3. It is imperative to lay a drainage layer on the bottom (sand with gravel 3-4 cm).
4. The abundant watering of the frankincense will need the first 2 weeks.

Important! When growing hearty bergenia, nitrogen fertilizers should be avoided., Otherwise flowering can not wait.

Care after flowering

Unlike many ornamental crops, bergenia requires minimal care during this period. Badan does not require pruning. You can reduce faded flower stems so that the plants look neat in the summer. Removing darkened foliage will increase the neatness of planting and minimize the possibility of snails. The fallen green part of the plant must always be removed.

Dry soil will slow down the growth of frankincense, therefore it is necessary to water the plant during dry periods more often. You need to do this either in the early hours or in the evening.

If they grow in full sun, they should be lightly covered with mulch to prevent burns, as the roots tend to push out.

Seed collection

In September, you can start collecting seeds from an adult healthy plant. Do this during a period of withering inflorescences. On it you need to wear a homemade gauze bag in which the seeds will fall. When the box is formed, the bag is carefully removed, and the seed material is dried.

Preparing for the winter

At the beginning of winter, hearty fermentation should be fed with compost, evenly distributing it around the base of the plant. In regions with a cold climate, grassy crops should be covered with straw or dry fallen leaves. This will help protect the plant from freezing and thawing cycles that can damage the leaves. At the end of winter, in order to put in order the hearty fermentation, it is necessary to remove that green part of the plant that was damaged during the winter.

Diseases and Pests

At the end of winter, you need to set baits, traps for snails and slugs. Bergenia attracts these pests, and early care can help prevent leaf damage.

Yellow withered leaves may indicate root rotcaused by swampy soil. A weak solution of potassium permanganate will help get rid of this ailment. It is poured under the root and soil around the stem of the affected plant.

Brown spots on the leaves may indicate the appearance of spotted fungus. In this case, the affected green part of the plant is removed and garden fungicide is used according to the instructions.

Important! When buying a means to fight snails and slugs, you need to carefully read the product label and choose the one that is not toxic to people and pets.

Badan is a truly unique perennial that perfectly fills shady places in the garden. No matter which variety is selected for planting, it will be a great addition to the garden. This ground cover perennial culture will present early spring flowers and almost year-round shiny foliage.