Garden saxifrage. Saxifrage: description, varieties with photos, planting and care

This article will open for you such a beautiful and amazing plant like a saxifrage. You will be able to learn about how it is grown, cared for, planted in the open field, what varieties exist, and also get acquainted with some features of the reproduction and use of saxifrage in modern landscape design.

Saxifrage: varieties and varieties

The name of this beautiful herbaceous plant hints at the fact that the saxifrage grows and develops even in hard-to-reach places. Its sophisticated bright flowers are able to easily destroy the strongest stones and "settle" in the resulting cracks. The saxifrage family is diverse and multifaceted, it has about 200 species. The beauty and unpretentiousness of saxifrage contribute to their active use in modern landscape design. The most popular today are 2 types of these perennials.

Saxifrage is a very unusual and attractive plant for your garden.

Soddy saxifrage. It looks like a dense turf of rosettes with dissected leaves. This species blooms for a short time, only 3-4 weeks in June. For her, planting in a slightly acidic open ground rich in humus will be optimal.

Soddy saxifrage

This type of saxifrage boasts the following varieties:

• Rosa-kenigen (bright pink shade);
• Purplemontel (purple);
• Triumph (ruby red).

Arends' saxifrage. This plant will delight you with a rich green color all year round. Its leaves form a continuous carpet up to 15 cm high. The flowering period is the end of spring - the beginning of summer.

Arends' saxifrage

The most popular varieties of such saxifrage:

• Peter Pan (bright red buds);
• Sleeping Beauty (red flowers);
• Floral Carpet (a scattering of pink and purple flowers);
• Snow carpet (white buds).

In addition, there are shadow, Manchurian, reed, paniculate, round-leaved, wicker and other types of saxifrage. Some of them can be seen in the photo.

saxifrage round-leaved

Planting a plant

A decorative saxifrage has an insanely beautiful appearance, planting and caring for which does not imply any complex manipulations.

The flowering and development of these perennials will be much better if some crushed limestone, gravel, sand and peat are added to the planting soil. When planting saxifrages, provide them with a good drainage system, as a large amount of moisture can cause the death of plants.

Saxifrage Care

Give these stunning perennials the attention and proper care and they will reward you with fantastic blooms. They need regular watering in moderate doses, as well as top dressing with fertilizers (1 time per month). Near the plants, the soil should always be loose and weeded.

The saxifrage will feel very good in rock gardens or rockeries

Around the saxifrage bushes, stone ones are often laid out, which serve as a kind of protective barrier for the roots from the scorching sun and help retain moisture.

When the saxifrage fades, the aerial part of the plant is cut off. This procedure is necessary for the emergence of new leaves. These perennial plants tolerate the winter season well. If severe frosts occur, it is better to cover the saxifrage.

Proper cultivation of saxifrage implies several important nuances in care:

• do not allow heat (create a relative shadow);
• provide flowing watering (make drainage).

The plant is able to feel good with minimal care.

Fertilizer and top dressing

Once every 4 weeks, along with the next watering, feed. The only exception will be the period from October to February, when this should not be done. The concentration of liquid fertilizers should be at least half as much as indicated on the package.

Attention! Avoid overfeeding the plant. Excessive fertilization can cause the culture to become loose and vulnerable to dangerous infections.

Reproduction of saxifrage

The saxifrage is propagated in several ways. It is grown from seeds, new representatives are obtained by rosettes or dividing the bush.

Very easy culture propagated by rosettes

Start off breeding rosettes possible only after the end of flowering. To do this, the sockets are very carefully separated from the bush, rooted in fertile soil, and then watered. For landing, you should choose a place that will be protected from the scorching sun. Only in spring, plants are planted in open ground.

Another method of reproduction involves obtaining seedlings, after planting seeds plants in open ground. Seeds are scattered on the surface of the nutrient substrate and slapped a little with the palm of your hand. Shoots dive and transplanted into peat pots. Seedlings are planted in open ground along with pots in June, observing distances from 7 to 25 cm.

Such breeding methods will be simple for both experienced and novice growers.

saxifrage seeds

Diseases and pests

Saxifrage is quite resistant to pests and diseases. However, unfavorable growing conditions or improper care can cause it to become infected or damaged by pests.

Dryness can cause damage to the plant by spider mites. At the same time, a whitish web will be visible on the saxifrage. Later, the mite infects the leaves, they become covered with yellow spots, dry out and gradually die off. Excessive moisture leads to the appearance of powdery mildew or damage to the leaves of the plant with rust, which is created by a variety of fungi.

spider mite

The most dangerous pests for these perennials are mealybugs and green aphids.

Saxifrage: combination with other plants

Growing saxifrage will bring you tremendous pleasure. All their varieties look very original and impressive, especially in combination with other plants. Neighborhood with them can be shared by Muscari and many other undersized cultures. Amazing combinations of saxifrage with lingonberries or Chinese gentian-decorated will help fill your exterior with beauty and originality.

Saxifrage in landscape design

With its bewitching beauty, the saxifrage has earned a worthy place in modern landscape design. It is placed in rock gardens, on artificial hills, embankments and rocks, where it looks very stylish and impressive. This plant will instantly turn an empty and unattractive rocky place into a chic flower garden. The richness of its varieties and shades will fill the surrounding space with bright, rich colors. That is why saxifrage is absolutely indispensable for landscape design.

Growing saxifrage: video

Types of saxifrage: photo

Both the Russian name for the saxifrage plant and the Latin name SAXIFRAGA (saxum - rock and fragere - to break, break) literally speak of an emergency vitality these seemingly modest and unpretentious plants. They often settle in the crevices of rocks, as if breaking them; in another way, the people call the saxifrage gap-grass.

These are mainly rhizomatous perennials, sometimes even annuals and biennials. There are about 400 species in the genus, growing in the mountains of the African tropics, in Central America, Eurasia.

Saxifrage species description

Planting saxifrage

The height of the saxifrage is from 5 to 70 cm. The leaves are often collected in basal rosettes. They are both leathery and fleshy, often rounded, sometimes divided into lobes. Interestingly, lime is released from them in the process of life, which gives the tips of the leaves a shade of “gray metallic”.

The saxifrage flower looks like small stars - white, yellow, pink, purple, red. Always - with five petals. Blooms in May-August. They are pollinated by insects, but self-pollination can also occur.

Species diversity

There are too many saxifrages in the family, they are not all the same in care: some love nutritious soils, others, on the contrary, grow better on the poor, some should be watered more often, others are better planted in partial shade, and not in the sun. It was convenient for a botanist to combine more similar ones into sections, of which there are more than a dozen. And they, in turn, also include subsections, sections, subsections, rows. Plants belonging to each new section have some special characteristics.

For example, saxifrages from the Porphyrion section are characterized by the ideal shape of leaf blades, compactness and density of bushes, as well as unexpectedly large, chic flowers of a wide variety of colors. Western breeders pay special attention to plants from this section.
We will only mention the most important points, relative to the distribution of saxifrage in sections.

Subspecies Saxifraga

• It includes the Pontian saxifrage (Saxifraga pontica). Originally from the Caucasus. Perennial. Plantings grow into very dense curtains.
• Musk saxifrage (Saxifraga moschata = S. exarata ssp. moschata). Originally from the countries of the Mediterranean, the Balkan Peninsula and the Caucasus. Tiny bushes (about 1 cm in diameter) unite and form very dense thickets. Leaves winter well under the snow. Rich burgundy with a yellow core in loose panicles are formed in June. Since in the natural environment she has chosen alpine meadows and rock slopes, she will feel great in culture on rocky slopes and alpine hills.
• K. granular (Saxifraga granulata) with pretty white-green flowers is interesting because it forms nodules in the root zone. They most often propagate this saxifrage. It occurs on stony soils of Northern and Central Europe, in Western Polissya.
• Soddy saxifrage (Saxifraga caespitosa) is a perennial up to 20 cm tall. The ‘Findeing’ variety looks very nice, with flowers it resembles the above-described species - granular saxifrage, but only with flowers, there are no soddy saxifrage tubers. And the flowers, in addition to white, can have both red and pink color. They are small - about 1 cm in diameter, bloom in May-June.
• Arends' saxifrage (Saxifraga x arendsii = Arendsii-hibridae) is perhaps the most common of the saxifrages assigned to this section.
  These hybrids are often erroneously marketed as soddy saxifrage varieties. They are up to 10-20 cm high. The leaves come in completely different shapes, the curtains are dense. Flowers of various colors - white, yellow, pink, red.

Subspecies Gymnopera

Saxifrage planting and care

These are ground covers with spectacular curtains, large and hard leaves, exclusively for partial shade. Another condition for successful cultivation is moist soil and air.

• • Shady saxifrage (Saxifraga x urbium). The leaves are wide, slightly rounded, go green under the snow, the flowers are white and pink. Prefers partial shade, moist air and soil, the annual application of humus will only benefit. It is important to regularly weed plantings of shady saxifrage, weeds drown it out instantly, it may fall out because of this.
  • Stiff-haired saxifrage (Saxifraga hirsuta). Forms loose leaf rosettes, grows well into a rug. May die in drought. Prefers to settle in semi-shady places. White flowers, collected in sparse panicles, appear in June. It winters well: without shelter and snow cover, it is afraid of frosts only below - 35 degrees. The name is associated with a characteristic feature: both the leaves and the petals are covered with short hairs on the underside.

• The wedge-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga cuneifolia) descended into our gardens from the mountains of Southern and Central Europe. Together with the peduncle, the height of the bush is 15-25 cm. The leathery glossy leaves go green under the snow, and the same ones come out from under it in the spring. It blooms with white flowers in June-July.
• Saxifrage spatularis (Saxifraga spathularis). Rosettes are formed at a distance from one another, Blooms in late May - early June. Perennial withstands up to - 15 degrees. Winterless shelter. Under natural conditions can be found in European countries.

Subspecies Porphyrion

Saxifrage photo landing

• Opposite leaf saxifrage (S. Oppositifolia). Originally from the mountain ranges of the northern and arctic parts of Europe and Asia, China, Mongolia, North America. Withstands up to -38 degrees. frost. In June-July, it blooms with purple-pink flowers. Very responsive to the presence of calcium in the soil. K. is propagated by cuttings and division of the rhizome.
• Grisebach's saxifrage (Saxifraga grisebachii = S. federici-augusti ssp. Grisebachii). Under natural conditions, it can be found in mountainous regions (mainly on limestone) of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. The flowers are small purple, the leaves of an amazing color - with a bluish tinge. Exceptionally effective! Do not plant in full sun, only in partial shade.
• Juniper saxifrage (Saxifraga juniperifolia). The name speaks for itself. Form - creeping, yellow flowers bloom in May. Likes sun or partial shade. Homeland - the mountains of the Caucasus.
• Dinnik's saxifrage (Saxifraga dinnikii) is a perennial with gray-green leaves and purple flowers that bloom in April-May. The culture is complex. In nature, it is found only in certain areas of the Caucasus Mountains.
• Saxifraga x apiculata was bred specifically for cultivation in cultural conditions. In April-May, it strikes with abundance of flowering, leaf pads - up to 5-10 cm in height. It prefers to grow on stony soil (in crevices, between stones), solar lighting does not play a big role: it can develop well both in partial shade and in the open sun. Not afraid of short droughts. Propagated well by dividing the bush and cuttings.
• Saxifrage bluish, or cesium (S. Caesia) - a native of the Carpathian rocks (in the alpine and subalpine belts). The leaves are small, subulate. Blooms in July-August with white flowers. It is extremely difficult to care for, it is not recommended for beginner flower growers.

Subspecies Ligulatae

Saxifrage planting and care photo

• The long-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga longifolia Lapeyr) is native to the Pyrenees. One of the tallest saxifrages - up to 60 cm in height. The leaves are gray-green, the flowers are white, with a purple center. Blooms in June-July. Introduced into culture since the end of the 17th century.
• Saxifraga cochlearis (Saxifraga cochlearis). Perennial, forming elegant gray-silver-green cushions. It blooms in May-July with white flowers on reddish peduncles.
• Saxifrage cotyledon, or tupolistnik (Saxifraga cotyledon). Natural habitats - in the Scandinavian countries, in the Southern Alps and the Central Pyrenees. Openwork inflorescences appear in June on peduncles up to 60 cm high. She is the only saxifrage that prefers acidic soils. Propagated by seeds and daughter rosettes. Moved to the garden from the second half of the 17th century. It is sometimes grown as pot culture on the windowsill.
• Saxifraga paniculata, otherwise - tenacious, or ever-living (Saxifraga paniculata Mill. = S. aizoon Jacq). Up to 4-8 cm high. White-yellow flowers. Likes an abundance of calcium in the soil, frequent watering. In summer, it can be propagated by dividing the rhizomes.

Subspecies Micranthes

saxifrage cultivation

• Pennsylvanian saxifrage (Saxifraga pennsytvanica). Native to North America, where it occurs in swampy meadows. It does not form extensive rugs: it is more often found alone in powerful bushes, or as part of a few groups. Blooms in July. Flowers are greenish.
• Saxifrage hawkweed (Saxifraga hieracifolia). Found in the Carpathians and the Alps. Flowers red or greenish. In height, each plant is peculiar - there are 5 cm in height, and there are 50 cm in height! Planted in tiers look very impressive: a taller plant over a lower one. The hawk-leaved subspecies is propagated by seeds.
• Manchurian saxifrage (Saxifraga manshuriensis). A guest from Primorsky Krai grows there in the valley forests. Flowering - in July-August. Propagated by seeds.

Saxifrage planting and care in the open field

Seed saxifrage

• Most saxifrage prefers to grow in semi-shady places. The bright sun for most of them is unacceptable.
• It is important to water evenly. Some species can fall out without additional watering during even short droughts.
• To make the “mat” look neater, you need to constantly clean it from faded flower stalks.
• Saxifrage is fertilized only with complex mineral fertilizers. She does not tolerate organic matter. It is also important to remember that an overfed plant winters poorly and becomes vulnerable to many pests and diseases, in particular fungal ones.
• In many species of saxifrage, winter hardiness is very high. However, in the middle lane with its unpredictable, often snowless, winters, it is still better to cut off the aerial part of the plant, and cover the rhizome with a layer of fallen leaves or mulch with garden soil. Leaf humus in the spring must be removed.

Saxifrage cultivation from seeds and division, cuttings

Planting saxifrage in the ground

How to grow saxifrage from seeds. They are sown before winter, since the seeds of most species require stratification (freezing) of seeds from 2 weeks to 2 months. If you are not sure if it is necessary for the seeds of your species, do not be embarrassed: stratification certainly cannot damage germination. Mix the seeds with sand and scatter on the surface of the soil mixture.

The container is either taken out into the garden and buried in the snow, or placed in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator (at + 3-4 degrees). When the freezing period is over, transfer the container to the room and put it on a bright window sill. Shoots appear unevenly. With the development of a pair of true leaves, dive seedlings. And with the onset of steady heat, plant in the garden.

• The saxifrage bushes are divided, as a rule, in August.
• Child rosettes can be planted throughout the growing season. It is only important that they are mature enough to be capable of independent existence.
• Cuttings can be propagated in June-July.

Diseases and pests

Saxifrage in the open field photo

As already mentioned, prolonged stagnation of moisture in the zone of saxifrage roots should not be allowed. This is fraught with the development of fungal diseases and the appearance of all kinds of rot, from which it is most likely impossible to cure the plant.
Of the pests, saxifrages can be threatened by a mealybug, spider mite and aphids. Use appropriate insecticides, diluting and applying them according to the instructions that come with the product.

In landscape design

Saxifrage Growing Conditions

An ideal place for a saxifrage is a rocky garden, an alpine hill. This one will also decorate borders in combination with other low plants - stonecrops, violas, dwarf irises.

About the saxifrage plant video:

When I bought a dacha and began to equip its territory, all my friends gasped. First, I abandoned the potato garden, sowing grass there and planting a few trees. Secondly, instead of traditional tulips and roses, I decorated all the flower beds with overseas succulents (and not only foreign, but also native, domestic - the same stone rose).

But most of all I sowed saxifrage. When all these flowers grew and bloomed, I was just beside myself with happiness! And acquaintances ... And what about acquaintances, no one has yet refused an invitation to a barbecue!

The plant is called a ground cover, because if it is given free rein, in a while it will cover your yard with a soft flowering carpet.

The flower is very unpretentious. In the wild, it survives in rocks, near mountains, on embankments. Clinging to a crack in the stone, the flower slowly grows - and really expands its shelter, destroying the structure of the stone.

Popular name of the flower: gap-grass.

The saxifrage blooms from May to August. Its flowers are small, regular in shape, and also with a barely noticeable, but pleasant smell. Petals can be pink, red, yellow, but more often white. If you look closer, they look like this:

And this is how some people include saxifrage in their landscape design:

The most popular types and varieties with photos

Depending on the species, these bushes can grow up to 5 or 70 cm.

Branched roots appear not only at the base of the plant, they also germinate on creeping stems when they lie on the ground - this explains such a “weave” of saxifrage on the ground.

Leaves may be different shapes and different tint. Interestingly, over time they become whitish. limescale which the plant accumulates.

There are about 450 species in the genus saxifrage. Many are cultivated, so they have already managed to “grow” varieties.

Arends' saxifrage

Frost-resistant appearance, bush height 20 cm. The leaves are small, openwork.

Blooms from May to June.

The best varieties are:

• White carpet. It is not difficult to guess that this variety blooms with white flowers. Their diameter is about 1 cm.
• Purple carpet. Although the flowers growing on it are burgundy, their centers are contrasting yellow.
• Flamingo. It blooms with pale pink "tulips".

Soddy

This species does not cover the ground with a flower carpet (its flowers are rare), but it gives a lot of leaves, they quickly tighten the flower bed.

Feature of the species: it is unpretentious to the soil, it will turn green even on acidic soil.

The best varieties:

• Rose Kenigen. Blooms soft pink.
• Triumph. A rare variety that produces red flowers.

Paniculata

The plant itself is low, the bushes rarely rise above 8 cm. The leaves are round, with teeth along the edges, collected in a dense rosette, which has a bluish or grayish tint.

But the flowers bloom on tall peduncles. They are collected in "panicles". They can be white, yellow, rarely red.

opposite leaf

This creeping "creature" first turns green above the ground itself, but over time it can rise to a height of 30 or even 60 cm.

The saxifrage blooms in June, and its flowers are not only large, but also chameleons: at first they have a pink color, but over time they darken, becoming purple.

Shadow

This evergreen "creature" really loves shade. Grows up to 20 cm.

The leaves of the saxifrage are rounded, with denticles. They are deep green above and reddish below.

Small flowers bloom on long peduncles, not singly, but in panicles. They can be distinguished from the panicled saxifrage due to the burgundy centers.

Mossy

This species really resembles moss, only blooming with lemon "bells".

round-leaved

Another species with round leaves, this time growing on petioles. He is not afraid to grow in the shade, resistant to frost.

In the first month of summer, the saxifrage blooms. The flowers bloom in panicles, their petals are white, but with characteristic pinkish dots.

And there is also a weaving saxifrage. This is no longer a garden, but a houseplant from the "unkillable". More information about her - in this video:

How to care for saxifrage and whether it should be done

In general, this plant is simply planted - and forgotten about it (as long as it does not begin to go beyond the flower bed). The main thing is to choose the right place for planting saxifrage.

By the way, it may not necessarily be a flower bed. Saxifrage (any) with no less pleasure will be green in a wide flowerpot or on your balcony, in a box.

Rules for planting this plant

• Choose a site either in partial shade or in the light.
• It is better if the soil is slightly acidic, well-drained, loose. Although, however, this flower is not very picky about the soil. You can improve your flower bed by adding a little peat, sand, small pebbles, slaked lime when digging. Gravel mulch also worked well.
• Flowers almost do not need weeding - they themselves suppress weeds.
• The plants are planted 20 cm apart (do not worry, the flower bed will not be empty, because the bushes will intertwine very quickly). Make shallow holes for seedlings.
• If you are planting your saxifrage in a pot, choose wide, shallow pots. In one such, plant 3 bushes at once, for splendor. When they fill the entire pot with roots, transplant them into a larger "house". And remember to drain to the bottom!
• In the house, a flower needs from 20 to 25 degrees in summer, about 12 degrees in winter (if the leaves are variegated, variegated, then at least 15 degrees). Don't have a cold room? Flowers can winter in warmth, but in a room where the light is constantly on or under a lamp, otherwise they will stretch undecoratively. Cut off half of the branches in the spring. Every 5 years, remove old plants, replacing them with young ones.
• Spray the pot often. You can water it, but little by little, so that it does not grow in a puddle (you can make it rain with a hose in a flower bed).
• You can feed the saxifrage by alternating mineral complexes and organic matter. In summer they are given every 2 weeks, in winter (potted flowers) - once every 6-8 weeks.
• In the flower bed, the flower hibernates without covering.

Cultivation (reproduction) of saxifrage

seeds

• They are tenacious, like the flowers themselves - they can lie up to 3 years.
• Seeds need stratification (mix them with sand and keep in the refrigerator for up to 20 days, after which you can germinate).
• Sow seeds in March, laying out a homemade greenhouse on top of the soil. Watered with sprays.
• Seeds germinate quickly - in 7-15 days.
• When 3 leaves appear, the seedlings dive. In May, they are hardened, taking them out into the street, and in June they are planted in open ground.
• This plant will bloom after a year.

shoots

• When the saxifrage stem touches the ground, roots grow from the axils of the leaves. Sometimes they are airy (they appear even without contact with the soil). Cut off such a stem and transfer to a new place - it will take root there.
• It can be a little more difficult: in the summer, cut off a couple of shoots from 10 to 15 cm. Root them in a glass of water or a mixture of wet peat and sand. By autumn, the saxifrage will take root. It should be planted in a pot and kept all winter in the house, and in June moved to a flower bed.

What can go wrong and how to fix it

• Rust and powdery mildew. These diseases attack in dampness (if water stagnates in the soil, especially potting soil). Sick branches will have to be removed (do not throw them into the compost, burn them), and treat the rest of the plant with a fungicide or blue vitriol. On especially rainy days, it is better to cover a flower bed from above.
• Aphid, worm, mites. They can attack both indoor and outdoor plants. The flower bed can be sprayed with an insecticide (the same "Aktara"). home flower it is better to treat with soapy water - he does not have bad smell and it is not dangerous for your pets. Although if the "washing" does not help, you will have to take the pot to an open balcony or veranda and still treat it with an insecticide.

Did you like the flower? Do you want me to show you more plants of the same type, good options for rock gardens and similar flower beds? That way:

Saxifrage ("gap-grass")- a low-growing perennial plant, although there are annuals and biennials, it is very diverse in appearance.

Appearance directly depends on the type / variety: different in shape, color, texture flowers, leaves, in the wild grows on rocky slopes, rocks, are found in meadows.

Decorators appreciate the variety of leaves, flowers, the ability to hide the earth with a carpet pattern, take root on depleted soil.

Decorative varieties are conditionally divided into several groups:

1. Purple flowers.
2. Silvery saxifrages.
3. Mossy plants (evergreens).

All of them grow in cushion-like groups, the main flowering season is summer. Distinguished by the color and texture of flowers and leaves. The first group has purple flowers with all sorts of shades, the second and third have the widest range: white, yellow, greenish, pink and many others.

Types of saxifrage:

1. Braided (also: spider, beard, Venus hair). Grow in hanging pots, on a hill, in winter garden, apartment, greenhouse. The main difference from their counterparts are the red hanging lashes (stolon stems, mustaches), sometimes reaching a meter in length. Propagated by daughter outlets.
2. Paniculata. Planted in stone crevices in rock gardens (northern or eastern side). Loves humus, frequent watering. In summer, they are propagated by division of rhizomes.
3. cesium. Only experienced gardeners can grow it, because it is demanding on soil and care.
4. "Hard-leaved" and "Opposite-leaved": the soil must contain calcium. Propagated by rhizome section, cuttings.
5. Tupolistnik (cotyledon): the soil should contain little limestone, loves sunny areas. Reproduction: seeds, daughter sockets.
6. Hawk-leaved: planted on an inclined surface, propagated by seeds.
7. Arendsa: not afraid of shade, illuminated areas, after flowering, a bush is divided or propagated by cuttings.

Popular varieties:

1. Crimson.
2. Flamingo.
3. Purple robe.
4. Bolotnaya.
5. Grainy.
6. Black ruby.

Here is a small fraction of the names from the whole variety of saxifrage. After talking on the forums of flower growers, each beginner will discover the magnificence of many varieties of plants, for any soil and terrain.

How to properly plant a saxifrage in open ground

Like it or not, the saxifrage is used to living in mountainous areas, growing beautifully in rock crevices, on stony soil, where there is no excess moisture. The gardener needs to try a little, creating ideal conditions for such an interesting plant.

1. Choice of landing time

Sowing seeds for pot cultivation can be carried out in any month, as for growing in an open area, certain rules should be followed in connection with the climate.

Landing time:

1. March, April: seeds are sown.
2. May: After the last frost, seedlings are planted.
3. June July: rooted cuttings are planted, after flowering they are divided and seated in large groups.
4. Autumn: sow seeds for the winter without prior germination.

When sown in open ground, the seeds are not hidden in the ground, but powdered with dry sand.

2. Site selection and preparation

For landing on the street, a place is selected according to completely different criteria:

1. They select a place on a slope where from 10:00 to 17:00 the site will not be under direct sunlight (permanent shade will negatively affect flowering).
2. Rakes remove lumps, large stones, loosen the surface well.
3. Water should not be allowed to stagnate (it should be damp, not wet).
4. It may be necessary to create artificial limestone cliffs (tuff) that regulate moisture levels by absorbing excess.

The presence of drainage will allow the plant to take root on any soil, the main thing is loosened earth in time, for better air circulation.

3. Processing and soil preparation

The soil requires medium fertility or with a light composition, with the presence of limestone.

The composition of the soil for planting:

1. 1 part turf.
2. 2 parts humus.
3. 1 part sand.

The soil is dug up well with compost and sand. It is necessary to ensure that the constituent parts of the soil are evenly mixed, and the earth is loose and moist.

4. The process of planting in open ground

Seedlings are planted in open ground from the end of May - the beginning of June, without removing the remnants of the greenhouse soil from the root:

1. The distance between the seedlings is left about 8 cm, then there will be a view of a continuous saxifrage carpet.
2. Planted at an angle, in the upper layer of the earth, between the pebbles.
3. Water the seedlings and a week later - feed for the first time.
4. Throughout the season, maintain regular watering (the soil between waterings should have time to dry out), weed and loosen the ground in a timely manner.

If landing is made when dividing the bush, then the distance between new groups should not be less than 25 cm.

Reproduction of saxifrage

1. Propagation by seeds

Each plant has its own secret, saxifrage is no exception. Its main secret is cold treatment of seeds, which guarantees good germination.

Starting in April, gardeners begin the procedure for processing seeds for planting:

1. Wet soil is placed in a flat container, and seeds are laid on top and left in the refrigerator for 14-20 days.
2. Seedlings are moved from the refrigerator to the windowsill of a well-lit window and covered with a film (the temperature inside the greenhouse should be +18 - +20 degrees), small black seeds germinate for 7-8 days.
3. After the first shoots, the film is lifted for air circulation.
4. It is necessary to wait for strong leaves and move the seedlings to large boxes.

When propagated by seeds, the saxifrage first blooms in the second year.

2. Propagation by cuttings

The procedure is done in any season except winter:

1. A single rosette of leaves is cut off at the base of the stem, the lower leaves are removed and placed in a container with sand.
2. Leave for rooting in a cool place where there are no drafts;
3. Rooted cuttings are transplanted into a pot, and after a few weeks - on the street.

Cuttings are planted in non-acidic drainage soil, you can use the sterilized soil of the garden plot.

3. Reproduction by dividing the bush

It is necessary to wait until the plant has completely faded:

1. Prepare holes (size and depth depends on the size of the saxifrage for division). Remove all the earth from the hole, mix with sand, compost, fine limestone, put drainage on the bottom.
2. So that the bush can be easily dug out, divided into parts without damaging the roots, it is pre-watered. Divide so that each part is with mature roots and green mass.
3. Plant immediately in prepared holes, lightly tamping the ground, and water.

Gardeners choose this type of reproduction most often, but only those who already have saxifrages that have taken root in the area.

Saxifrage Care

The main rule of a gardener in caring for a plant is knowledge of the chosen species and the features of caring for it. Do not forget that some saxifrages love moisture and shade, others love the sun and a certain composition of the soil.

To make the plant look healthy, timely please with beautiful flowers - it is strongly recommended that the gardener study all the information on a particular species:

1. The plant dies when exposed to direct sunlight, and the temperature regime should be: for summer 20-25 ° C, for winter - 12-18 ° C.
2. In spring and summer, it is recommended to spray the saxifrage with the same water as for irrigation.
3. After flowering, to maintain a decorative look - all remnants of flowers, stems are removed.
4. Before winter, the bushes are covered with spruce branches, dry foliage.

When grown in a garden, care begins much earlier than the appearance of the plant itself: it is necessary to build a hill with drainage in advance, then properly grow, plant, and care for it.

1. Watering

Water is used settled, soft, warm. Rain water is great.

From spring to autumn, they are watered in a moderate mode (the top layer of the soil dries up - add some water). In winter, only indoor saxifrages are occasionally irrigated so that the earthen ball does not dry out.

2. Fertilizers

Mineral fertilizers are added to water for irrigation. Various organic fertilizers (bone meal), superphosphate are suitable for saxifrage. The use of nitrogen fertilizers is not recommended.

3. Top dressing

They feed all year round only if the plant lives in an apartment, a winter garden. For top dressing, take a liquid consistency or fertilizer solution.

Amount of make-up:

1. Spring, summer– every 14 days.
2. autumn– every 45 days.
3. in winter– every 60 days.

Street culture is stopped watering, feeding before frost.

4. Transplant

Reasons for transplant:

1. The plant has "grown", requires more space.
2. The composition of the soil has deteriorated.
3. The plant lived in one place for more than six years.
4. Part of the group is infected with some kind of disease.

The composition of the substrate for transplanting:

1. Acidity: about 6 (pH), drainage is placed at the bottom of the hole / pot.
2. Land- 1 part.
3. Turf- 2 parts.
4. Sand- ½ part.

You can prepare the above mixture by adding 1 part each of compost and peat. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

5. Diseases and pests

It rarely gets sick, but if it is not properly cared for and prevented, then there is a risk of losing a large number of saxifrage.

Its main "enemies" are:

1. Fungal attack.
2. Spider mite.
3. Mealy bugs.
4. Aphids: the insect is white, green and brown.
5. "Powdery mildew" with this disease, the leaves are powdered with white bloom.
6. "Rust" appears as spots on the leaves of brown or yellowish color.
7. Wrong mode of watering, lighting, temperature.

If, without visible signs of pests, the plant suddenly stops growing, turns pale (a lot of moisture), becomes covered with dry spots (sunburn), the leaves become spotty - re-read the information on the proper care of this saxifrage variety.

Answers to frequently asked questions

What plants in landscape design combine saxifrage?

They look beautiful together with dwarf conifers, carnations, breakwater, gentian, grains. I admire this garden all year round.

How to determine by appearance whether the stalk is rooted?

In order not to pull the plant out of the soil once again, take a closer look at it - new rosettes have appeared on the side, which means it has taken root.

What kind of soil do saxifrages need?

Each species grows in a different environment and is adapted to a certain type of soil:

1. Meadow species needs acidic soil.
2. Alpine/mountain type - either alkaline or neutral type.
3. There are types of "calcephila" - they need limestone.

How to properly root shoots?

To root the shoots of the offspring saxifrage, it is recommended to plant the daughter rosettes directly into the soil, without separating them from the mother plant. And only after rooting cut off the antennae.

The saxifrage is not at all a capricious type of ornamental plants. By providing her with the right "place of residence" and timely care, the owner will receive a spectacular decoration of his garden, even if it is located on the windowsill.

On the edges of tracts and rocky slopes, on the rocky banks of mountain rivers, the saxifrage feels great. This unpretentious and very decorative plant settled in Russia from the cold tundra to the Caucasus. Individual species are found in Japan, China and Africa.

The name of the plant speaks for itself and from the Latin language “saxifraga” literally translates as “breaking stones”. There is another popular name with a similar meaning “gap-grass”. Settling in the crevices of rocks, with its thin but strong roots, it eventually destroys the stone, forming dense, green pads. In June, it is covered with abundant flowering, coloring the rocky surface in white-pink or yellow colors. This feature allows you to plant the saxifrage on an alpine hill or a stone garden, low dense varieties will perfectly fill the space between rocky paths. It will decorate the shaded place of the garden and the rocky shores of an artificial reservoir.

Species such as milk saxifrage, Korzhinsky saxifrage, columnar saxifrage, Dinnik saxifrage are listed in the Red Book of Russia and are under protection.

The saxifrage also has a "namesake" from the Umbrella family. The saxifrage femur is found on the edges and meadows. Possesses medicinal properties and is used in cooking as a spice. The green part of the plant and the root are used in salads, pilaf and soups. How spice can replace anise and thyme in confectionery and bakery production.

A perennial herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family and the only representative of the generic name is the saxifrage femur (lat. Pimpinella saxifraga). The saxifrage flower is unpretentious, grows in meadows and steppe slopes, along roadsides, in light deciduous and coniferous forests of Europe, Asia, temperate climate Russia.

The height of the flower is from 15 to 80 cm, the stem is erect, rounded, hollow inside, the outer part is covered with thin ribs. The leaves are collected in a basal rosette, practically absent in the upper part of the stem. The leaf shape is pinnate, divided into 3-5 pairs. The lower leaves are longer, up to 10-20 cm, with a petiole. The edges of the leaf are cut with large teeth. In the middle part of the stem, the leaves are without petioles, sit on the sheaths, pinnate, wedge-shaped. The upper leaves are lanceolate, with linear lobes. The leaf plate near the inflorescence is reduced. The root is long (up to 20 cm), up to 1.5 cm wide, fusiform, branches. Root dyed brown.

Inflorescence thyroid umbrella with 6-12 bare rays. Petals are very small (up to 1 mm), white or pink. Each flower has five stamens. Flowering begins in June and ends by early August. After flowering, bare ovoid seeds are formed, 2 to 2.5 mm long.

Saxifrage, a horticultural crop of the Saxifrage family, unpretentious, shade-tolerant and often evergreen. In nature, there are up to 440 species. These are mainly perennial, rarely annual and biennial species.

In the basal rosette, whole, almost round leaves of a green or gray color are collected. The flowers are bisexual, collected in a paniculate or racemose inflorescence. The inflorescence consists of five-petalled flowers. The saxifrage flower, depending on the species, colors the flower beds during flowering in white, pink, purple or red. After flowering, a box is formed, opening along the partitions. During the growing season, different species can grow from a few centimeters to half a meter.

The saxifrage grows in the harsh conditions of the north or in high mountainous areas close to glaciers, where the soil is rich in lime and peat.

Types of saxifrage

The saxifrage is a plant with great species diversity. In total, according to various sources, there are from 370 to 440 species, 129 of them grow in Russia and 80 species are cultivated.

There are both domestic and garden species that are resistant to cold climates. Weaving saxifrage or offspring saxifrage is a great view for growing at home.

Indoor saxifrage - a flower that is undemanding to air humidity and lighting, is perfect for a beginner grower. It will look spectacular in hanging planters like an ampelous flower: long red shoots form a cascade of small rosettes of green leaves.

There are species found in the harsh conditions of the tundra, on frozen, scarce soils, in crevices of stones and along the stone banks of rivers and lakes. These are polar saxifrage, drooping saxifrage, opposite-leaved saxifrage and snow saxifrage. Polar saxifrages are distributed almost throughout the Arctic, on unsodden rocky ledges, covering gray rocks with bright purple flowers in mid-summer. All northern species bloom in the wild not earlier than June, and in culture, flowering can occur in March, immediately after the snow melts or breaks through it. They have leathery dense leaves, which helps them fight the withering north wind.

There are species of saxifrage that have chosen other ecotopes for life. Marsh saxifrage is found in swamps, wet floodplains and marshy meadows of northern Europe and Asia.

Some species look very similar to succulents. Their whole and fleshy leaves are collected in a basal rosette. There are species with leaves covered with small hairs, for example, inlaid saxifrage. The shadow saxifrage has light stripes on dark green leaves, and the panicled saxifrage, growing, forms a sphere of rosettes of bluish-green leaves.

There are also species that are completely different from other saxifrage species. The granular saxifrage is distinguished by a short growing season; after flowering in May, the aerial part dies off. In the gardens, a terry form is grown.

Shadow

Saxifrage shadow

In gardens of temperate latitudes, the shadow saxifrage (Saxifraga urbium) feels good. The flower is resistant to shady places and frost. This perennial evergreen herbaceous plant grows up to 8 centimeters in height. Numerous rosettes form a dense dark green carpet. The leaves are leathery up to 5 centimeters, covered with small hairs. The leaf shape is obovate. Thin inflorescences rise on 15 cm peduncles. The flowers are collected in a paniculate inflorescence, white.

Flower care comes down to moderate watering, loosening until it fills all the space allotted to it, removing weeds. Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the soil, enrich it with humus, and provide drainage. Once a month in summer, the plant must be fed with a complex mineral fertilizer.

Reproduction is carried out by dividing the bush. For reproduction, it is better to choose a flower older than three years. Division is better in early spring so that the "kids" have time to take root before the onset of cold weather. You can also propagate by seeds, but this process is longer.

Selection made it possible to breed beautiful varieties with leaves painted with stripes and spots. Among the most popular garden forms:

• Variegata (with cream or yellow spots and stripes), Aurapunctata (leaves with yellow spots),
• Auravariegata (leaf plate with a yellow edge),
• Elliotis variete (yellow dots on leaves)
• Primulodis (small and smooth leaves).

Bolotnaya

Marsh saxifrage

The marsh saxifrage has other names: Saxifrage goat, Royal eyes. Latin name Saxifraga juss. Representative of perennial herbaceous plants of the saxifrage family. The stems are erect, covered with small green lanceolate leaves. Leaf length on stem 1-3 cm, sessile. Leaves at the base with long petioles, collected in a basal rosette. Small flowers of rich yellow color with orange splashes, with a diameter of not more than 12 mm. Flowering begins in August and ends in September.

The natural habitat is distributed throughout Russia from the tundra to the Caucasus, as well as Belarus, Ukraine and Asia. Settles along the banks of rivers and streams, in waterlogged meadows and swamps.

The saxifrage is not only a honey plant, but also has medicinal properties. The green part of the plant is used as a decoction for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, heart disease and as a diuretic. Compresses are made from the root for skin diseases.

Reed

Reed saxifrage - beautiful perennial species. It grows with a peduncle up to 35 centimeters in height. The leaves are whole, green, collected in a basal rosette. The edge of the sheet is framed by a white stripe. Paniculate inflorescence drooping, consists of white flowers. Flowering continues for three weeks. The peak of flowering is in July. Widely used in landscape design on rock gardens, borders, stone gardens.

Indoor saxifrage

At home, saxifrages feel great, although there are not many species:

• Weaving saxifrage and its most popular varieties Tricolor and Harvest Moon. It has a cascading shape. Small rosettes of leaves form on long red shoots.
• Saxifrage cotyledon, outwardly resembling succulents, with a voluminous and lush inflorescence several times larger than the plant itself.
• Stiff-leaved saxifrage.

Saxifrage - indoor culture, undemanding to care for. North, west and east windows are suitable for her. Placement on the south window may be associated with some difficulties. V summer time, especially at noon, the flower will have to be shaded. It does not need spraying and special soil. Rarely exposed to diseases and pests.

Snowy

Snow saxifrage

The snow saxifrage is distinguished by its love of snowy habitats. It is found even in soddy arctic deserts. A powerful black rhizome, up to 6 mm in diameter, allows you to survive in harsh conditions. The stem grows up to 20 cm in height, there are no leaves on it. The leaves are collected in a basal rosette, whole pink-green, with a jagged edge. The whole flower is covered with small hairs. Inflorescence paniculate, flowers small, with white petals. Flowering begins from mid-June or July, depending on the region.

Weaving

Weaving saxifrage

Weaving saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera), shoot saxifrage or offspring saxifrage (Saxifraga sarmetosa) are all names of the same species available for home growing. The flower got its name for the long raspberry shoots, reaching 60 cm in length. On long shoots, leaves are arranged in tiers, collected in small rosettes. The leaf shape is rounded, with a heart-shaped base. The leaves are variegated in white and green, the back side is crimson. The entire surface is covered with fine hairs. The largest and most brightly colored leaves are collected in a rosette, the leaves on the shoots are much smaller. The flowers are small, white or red. At home, the plant blooms from spring to late autumn. Faded flowers must be removed.

It is popular with flower growers due to its ease of cultivation. An east, west or north window, moderate watering and coolness will suit her. Saxifraga with brightly colored leaves prefer higher temperatures. They do not require air humidification and suffer from waterlogging of the soil. They are transplanted when the root system fills the entire pot. The new pot should be shallow, with 1-2 centimeters of expanded clay and soil consisting of humus, peat, leafy soil and coarse sand. The flower needs regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers throughout the year. The composition of the fertilizer, for the best development of the green part of the flower, should include nitrogen.

The flower can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and rosettes. For better germination, the seeds must be stratified within 2-3 weeks. After stratification, the seed container is covered with a film and placed on a windowsill with good lighting, temperature from +18 to +20 degrees. A week later, when the first shoots appear, they begin to open the greenhouse for hardening the seedlings. When the seedlings grow up, get stronger and they have 2 true leaves, they can be planted in separate pots. Care must be taken when watering, do it every day, but little by little. You can transplant into a large pot when the root system fills the entire pot. For decorativeness, several rosettes can be planted in one pot at once.

Faster and more convenient propagation method - cuttings. Rosettes with young flowers are formed on long shoots. After flowering, bushes with roots can be rooted in the mother pot or in another pot with a mixture of two parts of humus, one part of soddy soil and one part of sand. After planting, water abundantly and clean in a place with minimal lighting. A young flower will bloom in the second year of life.

Reproduction by dividing the bush can be carried out during a plant transplant in the spring. For this, an adult curtain is suitable. Each detached part should have enough roots and a few leaves. The division is made with a sharp knife, and the cut is treated with charcoal.

Rarely, flowers are attacked by spider mites, mealybugs, green aphids and thrips. The high temperature in the room can provoke the appearance of insects. Fight them by regularly treating them with insecticides, according to the instructions.

In the conditions of the room, they face the following difficulties:

• Lack of nutrients will lead to stretching of the shoots and the absence of flowers.
• V winter period the plant may stop growing due to lack of vitamins or light.
• Pale and sluggish leaves indicate too high a temperature or bright light.
• Lack of lighting leads to a loss of leaf color.
• Direct sunlight leads to burns on the leaves.
• White coating on the roots will lead to loss of leaves due to root rot from waterlogging.

Saxifrage beautiful plant for the home, not requiring special care, with medicinal properties. Juice and decoction of the green part treat skin inflammation (boils, suppuration).

Paniculata

Saxifrage paniculata

One of the frequently encountered garden species is the saxifrage paniculata. Due to its hardiness and frost resistance, the species also received other names “alive saxifrage” or “tenacious saxifrage”. The natural habitat is the arctic mountainous regions of Europe and North America. This small plant, only 4-8 cm tall, is able to survive on rocky, poor soils. The leaves are dense, leathery, with crenate lime teeth. The leaves are collected in a basal rosette. In June, miniature flowers appear in light yellow, pink or purple. They form a paniculate inflorescence on a thin peduncle.

For planting in the garden, crevices on the eastern and northern slopes of the rock garden are best suited. The soil should be rich in humus, calcium and contain lime chips. Drainage is a must. Watering should be careful, often and little by little. In addition to watering, it is necessary to loosen the earth and remove flowering flowers. The plant does not require shelter in winter. If the winter is snowless, it is better to cover the flower with dry branches and sawdust.

Arends' saxifrage

Arends' saxifrage

Perennial evergreen unpretentious species gave rise to many popular garden varieties. Plants of this variety grow up to 10-20 cm in height. The leaves are collected in a rosette and have different shape(solid bladed or separate). Breeding has made it possible to develop a large number of different varieties with a variety of bud colors. There are white, pink, yellow and red flowers. Flowering begins in May and ends in early July. Saxifrage purple mantle- a popular variety, grows no more than 25 cm in height. During flowering, it forms a purple carpet of small flowers 1-1.2 cm in diameter. On average, flowering lasts for a month, from May to June.

For planting in the garden, you need to choose a place shaded from the midday sun, soil rich in humus and good drainage. In the temperate latitudes of Russia, it can be planted with seeds in open ground when the average daily temperature is about + 8 ... + 9 degrees. Seeds are not buried deep, but only sprinkled with wet sand and pressed. Shoots will appear in a month. They are thinned out at a distance of 8-15 centimeters, and after the appearance of 4-5 true leaves, regular feeding begins every two weeks.

Can be planted in seedlings. Seeds are sown in March in soil consisting of peat and sand. A prerequisite for germination is the passage of stratification within a month. After that, the pot is placed on the windowsill, periodically lift the film for ventilation and watering. The optimum temperature during this period is +20 degrees.

Another popular variety is purplish pink or saxifrage purplemantel. This moisture-loving and drought-resistant variety is perfect for alpine slides. Plant height 20 centimeters, abundant flowering in mid-June. It can be grown in spring or autumn, both in seedlings and by sowing in open ground. Minimal care: during the flowering period, it is necessary to remove the faded buds and feed them with fertilizer once every two weeks, and also loosen the ground between the plants until they close with a green cap.

Arends' Saxifrage Purple Carpet- This is a very miniature representative of hybrid forms. Plant height does not exceed 7 centimeters. The root system is taproot, the leaves are evergreen thin, the flowers are small purple. Perfect for decorating borders, alpine slides and the lower tiers of flower beds. During flowering forms a dense carpet of purple flowers.

Saxifrage Arendsa Floral Carpet blooms in May and June with pale pink flowers. Unlike most representatives of its species, it prefers well-lit places. Together with peduncles, the height of the plant is 20 centimeters. Propagated by seedlings in open ground, planted in July, at a distance of 10-20 centimeters from each other.

Mossy

Mossy saxifrage

Mossy saxifrage looks like a small pillow of moss. In the wild, it is found only in Europe, being endemic to the mountainous regions of the Alps. The height of the plant is only 3-6 centimeters. Its thin creeping shoots branch strongly and are covered with a large number of small leaves. The length of the sheet is 5-7 millimeters, the width is only one millimeter. Peduncles single-flowered, 5 petals obovate, no more than 6 millimeters in length.

Simplest propagation method - dividing the bush during the autumn period. Before the onset of cold weather, in order for the flower to take root, new shoots with roots and leaves are separated and transplanted to well-moistened soil at a distance of 10-15 centimeters. The next year, the seedlings will bloom and form a dense green pad.

Can also be propagated by seeds. This method will give a large number of new plants, although it will require more attention. Seeds before planting must be kept in the cold for at least three weeks. It is better to disinfect the soil before planting. It should include peat and sand. Seeds are not buried deep, but only scattered over the surface and sprinkled with sand. From above the container is covered with a film or glass. After germination, the film can be removed.

Like all representatives of this species, care consists in loosening the earth until the green cap of the plant closes. Faded flowers are best removed. This will preserve the decorative effect and will not allow the plant to multiply by self-sowing. It will tolerate this species well and winter frosts under the snow. If the winter is snowless, it is better to cover with dry foliage and branches.

opposite leaf

Saxifrage oppositeifolia

The Latin name is Saxifraga oppositifolia. One of the representatives of the Saxifrage family. This perennial evergreen plant is characterized by early flowering. The buds are laid in the fall, flowering continues until the end of summer. The plant itself is no more than 5-7 centimeters, together with the peduncle it can reach 15 centimeters. The flowers are red, by the end of flowering they darken and acquire a lilac hue. The species is found only in areas with a harsh climate: in the tundra and less often in the forest-tundra. Prefers rocky cliffs of the Murmansk region, Greenland, the Taimyr Peninsula. The southern border of the range rises to the glacial regions of the Alps, Carpathians and the Rocky Mountains. In the Murmansk region, this species is listed in the Red Book of the region.

Soddy

Saxifrage soddy

Soddy saxifrage (Latin name Saxifraga cespitosa) is a herbaceous perennial that grows up to 20 centimeters. It grows wild in the tundra region of the Northern Hemisphere. In wild representatives of the species, the flowers are white; in hybrid species, the corolla is colored pink and red. Flowering begins in June, after flowering a fruit-box is formed. The stem is erect and covered with small hairs. At the base of the stem, the leaves are divided-palate and consist of 5 segments, the upper sessile ones are entire or thrice dissected.

Growing this plant in the garden, special attention should be paid to the soil. It does not take root on swampy, sandy and heavy soils. Dangerous for him and the summer midday sun.

Seeds can be planted outdoors or in containers at home. This method will give stronger seedlings.

Saxifrage soddy, refers to medicinal herbs, has a wide range of antiseptic properties. In herbal medicine, the root of the flower is used to treat inflammatory processes and intestinal disorders.

grainy

Saxifrage granular

Earth buds, field mice, earth berries, sheep nuts - these are all granular saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata). An upright stem from 15 to 40 centimeters is covered with glandular hairs. Leaves on long petioles are collected in a basal rosette. The leaves are rounded at the base, sessile on the stem, with a wedge-shaped base. White flowers are collected in a racemose inflorescence. After flowering in June, a fruit is formed - a multi-seeded box. It can propagate vegetatively, with the help of small nodules formed at the base of the rosette.

It is under protection in Finland and Ukraine, is included in the Red Book of the Leningrad and Pskov regions.

It is used in herbal medicine in the treatment of jaundice. Rarely used in landscape design.

hard-leaved

Stiff-leaved saxifrage

Stiff-leaved saxifrage, in the wild lives in the swampy meadows of North America, Europe and Asia. The stem spreads, grows up to 20 centimeters, is covered with hard leaves with notches. Leaf shape is linear-oval. Blooms small yellow flowers mid June - early July. Prefers areas covered from direct sunlight, and soils rich in calcium.

This species can be grown at home, providing the plant with good watering. They shade from the midday sun, in the summer it can be taken out to a balcony or terrace, but avoid drafts. In summer, the optimum temperature is +20 ... +25 degrees, in winter it is desirable to lower the temperature to +15 degrees.

Growing as a room culture, it is necessary to provide the flower with high humidity. To do this, the plant is placed on a pallet with expanded clay or pebbles, filled with water. Care must be taken when watering. Water falling on the rosette of leaves can cause the death of the flower. In winter, watering is reduced, but no one is allowed to dry out.

Feed with complex mineral fertilizers twice a month, from March to October. In winter, one feeding every two months will be enough. In the spring, you can transplant the plant into a wide and shallow pot with a good layer of drainage and nutrient soil. A young flower is transplanted once a year. An adult plant is less common, as the entire pot is filled with roots.

most convenient and fast way reproduction at home - shoots. Each shoot has rudimentary root buds and takes root easily. Shoots can be rooted in the mother plant's pot, or several shoots can be planted at once in a new pot.

Cotyledon

Saxifrage cotyledon

In the Alps, there is an endemic representative of the saxifrage family, the saxifrage cotyledon (Saxifaraga cotyledon). Externally, the plant is very similar to a succulent. Its dense leathery leaves without petioles are collected in a rosette. The shape of the leaf is reed, the edges are covered with small teeth with a lime coating, which is produced by the plant itself. The length of the sheet can be 10 centimeters, and the width is up to 2 centimeters.

Flowering begins in early May or June. On a massive peduncle, a pyramidal inflorescence with white or pale pink flowers forms from the center of the rosette. The inflorescence is several times larger than the plant itself, can grow up to 60 centimeters in length, consist of 40 star-shaped flowers. The length of each petal is not more than 1 centimeter, the shape is oblong.

Breeding has made it possible to develop varieties with a variety of colors, veins and red spots. Reproduction by seeds or "kids" is possible. Cotyledon is a frost-resistant species, in a temperate climate it can winter without shelter.

Manchu

Manchurian saxifrage

The Manchurian saxifrage (Saxifraga manchuriensis) is found along the banks of forest reservoirs in Primorsky Krai. The height of the plant together with the peduncle can be 45 centimeters. The leaves are rounded, dense, green, collected in a rosette on long petioles. Flowering begins in the second half of summer, continues for thirty to forty days. The flowers are small, pale pink, collected in loose capitate inflorescences.

In culture, the plant is rare, although it is very resistant to pests and diseases. The soil prefers loose, rich in humus, loamy and good drainage system. It is better to choose a shady place for planting, near a decorative pond or in a rock garden, but with regular and moderate watering.

Once every five years, the flower must be thinned out by dividing the rosette into parts and seated at a distance of 10-15 centimeters. The first time after division, the plant needs abundant watering. It is better to carry out the division in the autumn, before the onset of frost, so that the young have time to take root.

Propagation by seeds is best done through seedlings. Such seedlings will bloom only in the second year of life. The seeds are very small, so they are mixed with sand before planting. The soil should consist of peat, sand, humus and leafy soil. Seeds are not deeply buried, but only pressed and watered from a sprayer. The film-covered container is placed for stratification in the refrigerator for at least three weeks. Seedlings can be transplanted into open ground in June. In the first year of life, it is necessary to cover with dry foliage.

Despite the fact that the plant is resistant to pests, waterlogging of the soil can lead to root rot. In this case, the plant must be treated with copper and cut off the affected areas. During dry seasons, the saxifrage is attacked by spider mites. To combat it, it is better to use an insecticide.

drooping

drooping saxifrage

The drooping saxifrage (Saxifraga cernua) grows in the northern latitudes of Eurasia and North America. Rootstock fibrous, thin. The stem is no more than 15 centimeters high, ending with a single white flower. Actinomorphic flower consists of 5 obovate petals. The leaves are five-lobed at the base, on long petioles. On the trunk, the leaves are three-lobed sessile, at the top of the plant whole ovate. More than three flowers usually do not open. Fading, they form bright raspberry boxes. Rarely used in landscape design.

round-leaved

saxifrage round-leaved

Round-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga rotundifolia) forms a sprawling bush 30 centimeters high. At the ends of branched stems, small white flowers with red dots are formed. Flowering continues throughout the summer. The leaf shape is rounded, with a heart-shaped notch at the base, with notches. Leaves at the base with petioles, sessile on the stem. It is better to choose a shady place for planting, with well-moistened soil. Before planting, the site should be prepared by providing a drainage system. Wild species live in the warm regions of the mountains of Europe.

long-leaved

Longleaf saxifrage

Saxifraga longifolia has been bred in culture since 1871. The height of the peduncle is from 30 to 60 centimeters. The inflorescence is paniculate, consists of 1.5 cm white flowers. Blooms in June. Whole linear pointed leaves of bluish-gray color are collected in a flat rosette with a diameter of 20 centimeters. The plant is frost-resistant, withstands up to -23 degrees.

In the northern regions, shelter is necessary in winter with dry foliage or spruce branches. The soil before planting must be enriched with limestone, sand, peat and humus.

Waterlogging is detrimental to the culture, so it is necessary to provide a drainage system.

You can propagate the culture by seeds and dividing the bush. Seeds are planted in February-March in seedlings or in open ground in spring and autumn. Dividing the bush can be propagated after flowering. The view is unpretentious, but to obtain abundant flowering it is necessary to feed with mineral fertilizer twice a month during the summer.

hybrids

A German scientist and breeder who lived at the end of the nineteenth century named a group of hybrid species with his surname Arends. Hybrid varieties are frost-hardy, have more bud color variety and better drought tolerance. This group includes such varieties as: "Purpurmantel", "Blutenteppih", "Flamingo", "Varigata" and many others.

Landing and care

Planting and caring for saxifrage are available even to a beginner. As a houseplant, saxifrage is able to easily tolerate dry indoor air and does not require spraying. For a flower, you can choose any window, with the exception of the south. Street varieties feel good in rock gardens enriched with crushed limestone. Avoiding direct sunlight, the northern or eastern side of the rock garden is suitable for the plant. Another option for protection from direct sunlight is to plant a taller plant on the south side.

Home and outdoor saxifrage needs moderate and regular watering. Fertilizers are applied twice a month in summer and once a month in winter (for domestic species).

Outdoor varieties are frost-resistant, do not require shelter. In rare cases, when winter is without snow or these are young seedlings of this year, they must be covered with dry leaves or spruce branches.

Indoor species in summer are best kept at + 20 ... + 22 degrees, and in winter, lower the temperature to +15 degrees. Faded flowers and yellowed leaves must be removed.

Lack of flowering, slow growth and small leaves indicate a lack of nutrients and light. A very light color of the leaves indicates an excess of light. The sun's rays can leave burns on the leaves, this manifests itself in the form of dark spots.

Landing

Planting saxifrages is carried out in the spring. For weaving saxifrage, a shallow wide pot is suitable. There must be a hole at the bottom of the pot. A layer of drainage or expanded clay should be one to two centimeters. This is a prerequisite, since in the event of stagnant water, the plant may die or be affected by fungi and rot. A thin layer of earth is poured over the drainage. The soil can be purchased at the store or prepared by yourself. It should include leaf humus, peat, coarse sand, crushed limestone. Before planting, it is better to disinfect the land. This can be done by scalding the soil with boiling water or calcining it in the oven.

A plant with a clod of earth is placed in a new pot and fresh soil is added. The new pot should be larger than the previous one or two centimeters on each side. Young flowers are transplanted once a year, over five years old they are transplanted once every 2-3 years or they are filled with fresh earth, loosened.

Street species can not be transplanted up to six years, they feel great in one place. For planting, it is necessary to choose a place with a darkening from direct sunlight, prepare a drainage system and fertilize the landing site. After planting, the plant is watered abundantly and covered from the sun. This stimulates the formation of roots.

Watering

Waterlogging of saxifrage with stagnant water leads to plant damage by fungal and bacterial diseases. Drying of the coma of the earth should also not be allowed, the plant may not recover. It is necessary to water little by little and often so that the clod of earth always remains moist. The water from the pan must be drained after each watering. In winter, watering is reduced, allowing the top layer of the earth to dry out. It is necessary to pour water carefully, without getting on the rosette of leaves.

Lighting

Despite the fact that the plant is shade-tolerant, the constant presence in the shade will have a bad effect on the development of the green mass of the plant and flowering. It is worth covering only from the midday sun, but the morning and evening rays will benefit.

The use of saxifrage

Not all types of saxifrage have strong medicinal properties. The most popular variety for the treatment of inflammatory processes is the femoral saxifrage and offspring saxifrage. For the preparation of infusions and decoctions, the green part of the plant, sometimes the root, is used.

Medicinal properties

Saxifrage has anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antihemorrhoidal, antifebrile and bactericidal actions. It owes this to a large amount of flavonoids, coumarin, alkaloid, saponin, organic acids, glycoside, vitamins, microelements and essential oils contained in the plant.

Leaves and roots are used to treat urolithiasis, genital infections, gastritis and colitis. The plant does an excellent job with the treatment of influenza and the symptoms associated with colds. Removes hoarseness in the voice, helps to remove phlegm from the lungs, treats inflammation in the throat. Also used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, gout and ulcers. Compresses help to cope with inflammatory processes on the skin (boils, acne, ulcers).

The saxifrage femur is an excellent medicinal crop that can be grown in the garden. Her herb tea helps fight asthma and bronchitis.

To do this, one teaspoon of dry grass is poured into a glass cold water and boil for one minute. The drink is best consumed with honey, three times a day.

Root decoction is used for gout and gastritis.

A decoction is obtained from 10 grams of dry crushed roots per half liter of water. The composition is boiled for 15 minutes, insisted for at least an hour. It is better to store in a thermos, strain before use. You need to drink four times a day for half a glass.

Contraindications

As with any drug, the dosage must be observed during use. People suffering from thrombosis, bradycardia and dermatitis, it is better to stop using the herb. Despite the fact that there is information about the positive effect of saxifrage on lactation, it is better for pregnant and lactating women to consult a doctor before taking decoctions.

How to grow a saxifrage

Good strong plants can be obtained by growing saxifrage from seeds. But they will bloom only after one or two years. Plants obtained by dividing the mother bush or cuttings will give faster flowering.

Reproduction methods

Perennial saxifrage easily propagated by cuttings. On each process there are rudiments of roots. They can be rooted in a pot with a mother plant or in separate containers filled with loose soil, which will include sand and peat. The cut is made with a sterile knife and treated with charcoal.

Mature plants easily share young rosettes. They already have aerial roots with which they take root next to the mother plant.

Reproduction by seeds

Reproducing by seeds, the saxifrage produces a large number of young and strong plants. You can plant seeds both in open ground in spring or autumn, and through seedlings.

Seeds for seedlings are planted in February-March. The soil must be loose and disinfected. The seeds are small, for uniform distribution on the ground they are pre-mixed with sand. It is well watered from a fine sprayer, pressed. The container with seeds is covered with a film and put in the refrigerator for three weeks. After the seeds have passed through stratification, they are taken out and placed in a well-lit place, periodically opening and airing.

At the stage of two or four leaves, they are dived into separate pots, put outside for hardening. Seedlings can be transplanted into open ground in June.

Diseases and pests

The plant is not often exposed to diseases, but waterlogging of the soil leads to damage by rust, powdery mildew and fungi. Help fight them blue vitriol. The infected part of the plant must be removed and transplanted to a drier place.

You can fight insect pests such as aphids, whiteflies and spider mites with the help of Aktara, Fitoverma and Actellik. The affected plant becomes lethargic, the leaves turn yellow, insects are often visible to the naked eye.

Use in landscape design

Saxifrage in landscape design is an indispensable plant. Its ability to survive on calcareous soils with a minimum amount of soil has found wide application in filling alpine slides, stone walls and paths. Miniature varieties are excellent curb views, they are indispensable along the banks of artificial reservoirs, especially streams.