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groundcover layer

elephant's ears

bergenia cordifolia

leathery cabbage-sized leaves that flush red in winter and early pink flower-heads for the first bees — an indestructible edging that holds the front of the bed year-round.

functions

ground coverpollinator foragewildlife habitat

light

part shade

moisture

moderate

soil

any, tolerates dry and clay

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grower's notes

members

propagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for elephant's ears — the members' view.

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the takeaway

start a guild around elephant's ears

plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.

groundcover
elephant's ears — the anchor
groundcover
buglelamb's ear