Seasonal Wild Flowers

Elephant-ears

Bergenia crassifolia

Saxifragaceae

Large-leaved Saxifrage, Bergenia

The main flowering season is March-April, but it may flower

as individual spikes at any time of the year.

It is scattered throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Elephant-ears

Habitat

It is a neophyte introduced to the UK in the mid 1760s and

known in the wild since the 1960s.

It is naturalised in woodland, hedgerows, roadside verges,

railway embankments and on waste ground.

It is often grown as ground cover in gardens.

Elephant-ears is a large leaved, showy, perennial herb

growing up to 50cm.

Flowers are pink to purple in large spikes.

Individual flowers are approximately 2cm across with 5

bright pink petals.

There are 10 red stamens with white anthers.

There are 3 styles and stigmas.

Leaves are broad and up to 25cm long.

Clump of Elephant-ears

Flowerhead close-up

Close-up of flowers -stigmas, stamens

Close-up of stigmas and stamens

Anthers, styles and stigmas

Large flower bud and stems

Large leaves