WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Bergenia crassifolia, WUCOLS IV

How often to water winter-blooming bergenia in California

In July in the Central Valley, established winter-blooming bergenia in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 0.8 gallons a week. Winter-blooming bergenia, also called pigsqueak, is a low evergreen perennial with large, glossy, leathery leaves that squeak when rubbed. Clusters of pink flowers rise on short stems from late winter into spring, as early as December in mild gardens. It spreads slowly by rhizomes and handles some dryness, though its leaves dry out if the soil stays dry for long.

PerennialUC Arboretum All-StarRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water winter-blooming bergenia, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for winter-blooming bergenia and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 2 to 3 inches down under the leaves in summer signals that bergenia needs a soak
  • Leaves drying and browning at the edges after a long dry spell show the soil has stayed dry too long
  • Leaves scorching in hot afternoon sun point to a site that needs more shade, not only more water
  • Soft, rotting rhizomes or yellowing leaves in soggy soil can point to poor drainage

How to water it

  • Water at the base of the clump with drip or a soaker line, keeping the big leaves dry
  • Moisten the top 8 to 12 inches of soil, then let the surface dry before watering again
  • Plant in part or light shade in moist, organic soil, sheltered from drying wind
  • Mulch between the rosettes with leaf mold to keep the rhizomes cool and moist
  • Widen the watered area as the rhizomes slowly carry the clump outward

Through the seasons

A new bergenia needs steady moisture through its first summer while the rhizomes settle. Established clumps handle short dry spells, but extended drought browns the leaves. It stays evergreen and blooms from late winter into spring, so flowering coincides with the rainy months on the coast and in the Central Valley. Summer heat is when soil checks matter most. WUCOLS rates bergenia moderate water on the north-central coast, on the south coast and in South Inland. It rates low water in the Central Valley. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert and marks it as not suited to the low desert.

In pots

Bergenia suits a wide, shallow pot in a shady corner, where its big leaves spill over the rim. Check the mix about 2 inches down every few days in summer and water when it is dry, letting it drain fully. Empty the saucer after watering. In winter it is in bloom and still evergreen, so keep the mix lightly moist through dry spells. Divide the clump when it outgrows the container.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.631.31.92.50.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.631.31.92.50.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Winter-Blooming Bergenia: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.160.780.78––
Feb0.530.260.810.87––
Mar0.870.431.151.3––
Apr1.180.611.41.61––
May1.460.831.611.95––
Jun1.610.991.742.29––
Jul1.611.071.982.51––
Aug1.490.951.862.33––
Sep1.240.721.491.86––
Oct0.870.471.151.33––
Nov0.470.220.840.9––
Dec0.310.140.650.68––
Year126.8415.518.41––

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated low water in the Central Valley, like winter-blooming bergenia. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPurple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCalifornia Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWoolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPerennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes winter-blooming bergenia, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water winter-blooming bergenia in summer?

In July, established winter-blooming bergenia in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days in the Central Valley, about every 7 days on the south coast and about every 6 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does winter-blooming bergenia need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established winter-blooming bergenia needs about 0.1 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for winter-blooming bergenia change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates winter-blooming bergenia separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not evaluated in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why is it called pigsqueak?

Rub a leaf between your fingers and it makes a squeaking sound, like a small pig. The thick, glossy leaves stay evergreen in mild climates.

Can bergenia grow in full sun?

It tolerates full sun to full shade, and leaf color is best in a sunny spot with lean soil. In hot inland gardens, afternoon shade helps protect the leaves and slows how fast the soil dries.

When does bergenia bloom?

It usually flowers from late winter into spring, and in mild climates it can start as early as December. Remove spent flower stems promptly. The leaves stay attractive year round.

Is bergenia drought tolerant?

It handles short dry spells, but WUCOLS rates it moderate water in most of its rated zones. A long drought crisps the leaf edges. Plan on regular soaks through summer heat.

How do I clean up bergenia?

Cut out damaged or tattered leaves in late winter or early spring. Pull off spent flower stalks after bloom. Cleanup does not change how much water it needs.

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Sources