Common Name:

General Information

Bergenia ciliata is a perennial, low-growing plant forming a rosette of leaves 20 - 35cm long from a thick, rhizomatous rootstock. The plant spreads slowly at the roots to form a colony. In mild winter area the leaves are often evergreen, but they die back where winters are colder[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a medicine and sometimes also for food. The roots are a popular medicine in Nepal, where they are commonly gathered from the wild and sold in local markets[]. The plant is also grown as an ornamental, where it can be used as a ground cover.
The roots of this plant are commonly collected from the wild for medicinal purposes. The plant has not yet been evaluated in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but overcollection in many areas of its range are a cause for conservation concern[].The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Himalayas from Afghanistan through India, Nepal, Bhutan and eastern Tibet.

Habitat

On moist rocks and under forest shade; at elevations from 1,900 - 2,600 metres in Kashmir[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Bergenia ciliata is very cold hardy, tolerating winter temperatures falling to about -20°c, but the flowers and young leaves in spring are rather sensitive to frost and so it is best to choose a position with shade from the early morning sun[, ]. If the leaves are cut back by frost then they are usually soon replaced by fresh leaves in the spring[].
Succeeds in full sun or light shade in most soils[] but prefers a deep fertile soil that does not dry out fully[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants are at their best in a medium-heavy soil[]. Succeeds in shade or semi-shade-[]. The leaf colour is best when plants are grown in a poor soil in a sunny position[]. Dislikes cold winds[].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[].
The different species of this genus will hybridise freely when grown near each other[].

Edible Uses

The flowers are boiled and then pickled[].

Medicinal

Bergenia ciliata is a commonly used medicinal herb in India, where it is gathered in quantity from the wild for local use and trade[].
The root is rich in tannins and is astringent. It is used as a tonic in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea and pulmonary affections[, , ]. The root juice is used to treat coughs and colds, haemorrhoids, asthma and urinary problems[].
Externally, the root is bruised and applied as a poultice to boils and ophthalmia, it is also considered helpful in relieving backache[, ].
The root of this plant has a high reputation in indigenous systems of medicine for dissolving stones in the kidneys[].

A juice or powder of the whole plant is used to treat urinary troubles in Nepal[].

The juice of the leaves is used as drops to relieve earaches[272.

Agroforestry Uses:

A good ground cover plant[], forming a slowly spreading clump[, ].

Other Uses

The root contains 14 - 16% tannin[].

Propagation

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[]. 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[] or in autumn[]. 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.