Practical
Plants

Bergenia crassifolia

Siberian Tea

a perennial evergreen member of the Bergenia genus in the family Saxifragaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.75 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are used as a tea substitute[9][15][1][3][4].

Product or use
Tea

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A useful ground cover plant[6], though rather slow to spread[8]. It forms a clump[11]. Tannin is obtained from the bark[15]. The roots contain 15 - 22% tannin, exceptionally 26%[12]. The leaves and stems contain 17 - 25% tannin[12].

Product or use
Tannin

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
E. Asia - N.W. China to Siberia.
Habitat
On shady north-facing rocks, stony slopes, rock streams and old moraines in the forest and alpine zones[16].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse. Make sure that the compost does not dry out. Two weeks cold stratification can speed up germination which usually takes 1 - 6 months at 15°c[2]. Fresh seed, sown as soon as it is ripe in late spring is liable to germinate better than stored seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in late spring after flowering[6] or in autumn[10]. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in full sun or light shade in most soils[2][10] but prefers a deep fertile soil that does not dry out fully[2]. Established plants are drought tolerant according to another report[7]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants are at their best in a medium-heavy soil[11]. Requires a position sheltered from cold drying winds and from the early morning sun. The leaf colour is best when plants are grown in a poor soil in a sunny position[6]. A very ornamental plant, it is hardy to about -20°c[5]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[13]. The different species of this genus will hybridise freely when grown near each other[13].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  5. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

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  6. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

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  8. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

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  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  11. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩1↩2

  12. Rottsieper. E.H.W. Vegetable Tannins The Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Co. Ltd. 1946-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  13. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩1↩2

  14. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

  15. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

  16. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

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