This perennial has a thick rhizome with large mid-green twisted, rounded toothed leaves that turn purplish in winter and forms a clump. The nodding pinkish-purple bell-shaped flowers appear in a cluster above the foliage from late winter to early spring.

Hardiness zones 3 to 9 

Bergenia crassifolia is naturally found from Siberia to Mongolia growing in moist woodlands or meadows at an altitude from 500 m to 1800 m (5,940 ft).  

It is often found growing in shaded dry stony or rocky soils but prefers a well drained reliably moist fertile sandy or clay loams that is tending acidic with a pH 5.8-7. It grows in a partially shaded to open sunny protected or exposed position and is frost and drought tolerant.  

The Winter Blooming Bergenia is grown for its attractive foliage, long flowering period and spreading habit. It is planted in small cottage gardens along front borders or used in shaded rockeries. It is suitable for coastal and low-mountain regions establishing in 3-4 years and is moderately long-lived. This perennial is also used in alpine gardens or as a container specimen requiring little care once established. ID 3550

Note:
It has a long herbal history where the roots in India and China have been used for medicinal treatment of kidney and gallstones and the leaves have been used to make tea. 

Bergenia (ber-GEN-ee-a) crassifolia (KRAS-ee-FOH-lee-ah)

Saxifragaceae (saks-ih-frag-AY-see-ee)
Saxifrages, Astilbes, Elephant’s Ears