# Elephant's-ears (*Bergenia crassifolia*)

Elephant's-ears are big, leafy plants that look like giant elephant ears! They have thick, shiny leaves and beautiful pink flowers that bloom in spring.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas
- **Also known as:** Bergenia, Pigsqueak

![Elephant's-ears](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bergenia_crassifolia_a1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bergenia_crassifolia_a1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Elephant's-ears has large, rounded, glossy green leaves that can turn shades of red or bronze in colder weather. It displays clusters of bell-shaped flowers, typically vibrant pink or purple, held above the foliage on sturdy stems.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Saxifragales
- **Family:** Saxifragaceae
- **Genus:** Bergenia

## Interesting facts

- Gardeners love it because it's super easy to grow and takes care of itself!
- In some cold places, its tough leaves stay green all winter long!
- Its large, round leaves look just like an elephant's ear, hence its funny name!
- Parts of this plant have been used for traditional tea in its native lands.

## Special abilities

- **Winter Wonder:** Elephant's-ears leaves can change to beautiful reddish-bronze colors in cold weather, helping them survive harsh winters.
- **Water Wise:** Elephant's-ears has thick, leathery leaves that store water, helping it thrive even when conditions are a bit dry.
- **Tough Traveler:** Elephant's-ears can spread using underground stems, allowing it to colonize new areas and form dense clumps.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-60 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Early spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Eats:** [Black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — may chew holes in leaves
- **Eats:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — feeds on the foliage

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Elephant's-ears?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Elephant's-ears?

30-60 cm

### How wide does Elephant's-ears spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Elephant's-ears?

1-2 cm

### When does Elephant's-ears bloom?

Early spring to early summer

### Is Elephant's-ears edible?

No

### Is Elephant's-ears toxic?

Mild

### What is Elephant's-ears's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Elephant's-ears: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elephants-ears)