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SAXIFRAGA GUIDES

pink flowering saxifraga plants growing in a field outside

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Saxifraga is the name give to a section of saxifrages which are matte - forming , evergreen plant perennial .

They are democratic for growing in rock garden , containers , stone wall , and as reason back or layer edging in gratis - draining locations .

saxifraga plant with white flowers growing on tall red stems outside in a rock garden with green trees in the background

Overview

PreferredFull Sun or Partial Shade

ExposureSheltered

Height

S. fortunei with delicate pink and yellow flowerheads growing in a mulched area

0 – 0.1 M

Spread0.1 – 1 yard

Bloom TimeSummer

flowers of S. paniculata with white petals and yellow centres

PreferredChalk , loam or gumption

MoistureWell - drained

pHAlkaline to electroneutral pH

S. marginata with white flowers on long red stems growing from an area covered in large, grey rocks

Saxifraga is a big genus within the Saxifragaceae family .

The genus is said by Kew Royal Botanic Gardens to incorporate 475 accept species of mostly perennial industrial plant , ordinarily referred to as ‘ Saxifrages ’ or ‘ Rockfoils’.1Saxifraga . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 24 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30002955-2

The plant in this genus are inhabitant of Arctic - alpine environments , and they are seldom find outside temperate neighborhood of the northerly hemisphere .

birds eye view of London Pride saxifrage with bright red stems and tiny white and pink flowers with green foliage in the background

However , they spring up in many temperate region , including those that are at eminent elevations , and even in glacial home ground .

Many Saxifraga coinage and hybrids educe from them are now oftentimes naturalise as cosmetic plants in UK garden .

They are often used as land natural covering and forrock or alpine garden planting schemes .

magnified view of pink S. x arendsii flowers

Many are hardy and most can remain outdoors year - orotund , though some do require protection from wintertime wet .

Common Varieties

There are far too many mintage of rockfoil that you might get to name them all , but some of the most popular and highly see species and cultivars are :

How To Grow Saxifrage

Saxifraga can be relatively well-heeled to grow , both in the garden and in container .

The most important thing to consider when growing these industrial plant is providing the right growing conditions .

Most will do best in full sunlight or unaccented shade .

small purple flowers of S. oppositifolia ‘Splendens’ growing on a cliffside with a body of water visible in the background

Note that when growing genus Saxifraga , while all members of this genus share some characteristics and demand in uncouth , there are unlike groups that require somewhat different conditions .

Some are less fussy , some need full Sunday , whilst some need a trivial more moisture and do best in partial shade .

One other very important consideration is where you will grow the genus Saxifraga that you have take .

grisebachii subspecies of saxifraga with pink flowering stems growing vertically against a rocky backdrop

Some will be wonderful at the front of a bed or border ; others count fantastic in a stone trough , develop on a Harlan Fiske Stone wall or in a rockery .

Alpine types , naturally , work wonderfully in an alpine gardenplanting scheme .

Some saxifrages can distribute prodigiously , while others are smaller and more delicate plants that could get lost in too fussy a planting scheme .

saxifrage stolonifera with tiny white flowers

As such , select the ripe option for your needs and wishes is important .

Saxifrage Care Guidelines

When they are chosen sagely and placed in the correct position with the right grow medium and shade layer , saxifrages are pretty downhearted - maintenance plants that typically wo n’t require a huge amount of care and care .

Saxifrages typically ask well - debilitate conditions and alkaline or indifferent growing culture medium or soil .

A pretty fertile soil or spring up mass medium is proficient for most types .

pink and white star-shaped saxifraga flowers with green leaves growing as ground cover in a garden bed

Providing a well - drained medium is the most important thing , as overly dampish or waterlogged condition are the main thing that can cause a problem in their care .

When growing in the priming coat , saxifrage of most types and species will demand picayune extra watering , except during prolonged period of drouth .

When growing in containers , you will typically need to provide some piss more frequently , but should still be circumspect in the amount of weewee you offer .

small saxifraga shrub with green leaves and tiny lilac flowers growing on rock covered ground

It is often a good idea to mulch around breakstone works with grit or gravel to preclude waterlogging around the crown of the plant life .

In a reasonably fertile growing medium , extra alimentation will not typically be expect for most saxifraga varieties .

No pruning is required , though , if you like , you could prune off wither flower heads .

small, red flowering saxifraga shrub growing in soil between rocks and being watered by a green watering can

The method acting for propagation of saxifraga will depend on the particular species and variety that you are grow .

However , most are grown from either seeds , offsets or purchase as plant , and some can be grown from lightbulb .

The most vernacular trouble that rise with many saxifrages is excessive water or waterlogged conditions .

tiny green saxifrage seedlings growing in a small container

These are plant that must have well - drain weather condition and bankruptcy to provide these can lead to a range of problem , especially in winter .

Mature clumps of genus Saxifraga can also turn brown , sure-enough and woody at the centre if they become too congested .

To keep the plant life healthy and expect good , you should divide mature clumps in the spring once they show signs of getting a footling erstwhile at the essence .

white saxifrage flowers growing from outstretched stems found in between large rocks outside

apart from this , these plant can be susceptible to plague from aphids , vine weevils andred spider mites .

They can also be eaten by sluggard .

Managing Spreading

rockfoil do propagate well , though some will be mat - forming and spread out over a larger orbit while others will remain smaller and make succinct cushions of foliage and flowers .

“ In one garden that I have worked inS.xurbium , London Pride , acquire on the surface of a granite outcrop , ” portion Colin Skelly , a Master Horticulturist .

“ Initially planted to the side of the rack , it spread into the stodgy growth on the top and eventually spread across the whole stone and was thick enough cover version to foreclose other plant from germinating .

tiny purple and white Saxifraga flowers with green foliage growing outside in a field

“ Many other species are more lilliputian and less able-bodied to tolerate up to any competition . ”

Some grade rosettes , while others spread to organize carpets over an orbit of the ground or another fix , such as the surface of a Harlan Fiske Stone bulwark , for example .

If you want a works to spread and produce adept ground cover , it is important to choose the right genus Saxifraga coinage for the berth .

References