Bergenia crassifolia (Pigsqueak)

Native to Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, northwestern China, and northern Korea, this evergreen herbaceous perennial spreads slowly through thick rhizomes to form low clumps about 12 to 20 inches tall. Its leathery leaves often turn reddish in winter. Purple-pink flowers appear from late winter into spring in temperate gardens. The common name pigsqueak refers to the squealing sound made by rubbing a leaf. Naturally fermented, blackened leaves have traditionally been brewed as Siberian or Mongolian tea. It has escaped cultivation and is locally naturalized in Wales. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia and Quito, Ecuador.