Saxifraga

Saxifraga is a large group of hardy perennial plants. Only a few are annuals or biennials. They are mostly natives of North and South Temperate and Arctic regions. A few are found in Asia and they are rare in South America. The name is an old Latin name derived from saxum, a rock and frangor, to break; the plant was thought to break stones in the bladder. Rockfoil is a common name given to Saxifrages. The Saxifrages are a varied group of plants and botanists have divided them into a number of sections. The Kabschia, the Engleria and the Porphyrion sections are the earliest kinds; they bloom in January and February. The others are Dactyloides, Euaizoonia, Diptera, Trachyphyllum, Hirculus and Cymbalaria. These plants are mostly used in the rock garden but one, S. sarmentosa, is often grown in greenhouses and homes. They have pretty flowers and handsome foliage and a long flowering period. The Silver Saxifrages (section Euaizoonia) grow best among rocks or in the dry wall. They have silver rosettes of foliage and sprays of white, yellow, or pink flowers. Kabschia Saxifrages should be grown in an open area, which preferably slopes toward the west or northwest rather than south. A few of these kinds do best if they're planted in a deep, narrow crevice in a rock. This group is also great for growing in pots and pans in an alpine house. They flower in early spring and their beautiful, dainty flowers form perfectly under glass.

Pot Cultivation

The Dactyloides or Mossy Saxifrages - These plants need a cool, partially shaded spot with a lot of room to spread. They grow very quickly. After these plants flower, it would be smart to top-dress the clumps with a fine mixture of sifted loam, leaf mold, and sand. You can pour this over the plants dry and carefully work it down between the rosettes with the fingers. If the soil mixture is fine and dry it should work down quite well. Water them overhead with a fine spray. With age, this group tends to become brown and patchy but this top-dressing keeps them healthy for a long time. Mossy Saxifrages with red flowers develop their vivid color in shady or partially shady spots; full sun just fades the color.

The Kabschia Saxifrages -They should be potted in soil consisting of loam, sand and leaf mold, with a generous amount of crushed stone added. Excellent drainage is a must and many buried stones help. As the plants grow, they should be top-dressed with fine soil that is worked down into the rosettes and stems. Fine loam, sifted leaf mold, sand and crushed rock may be used in a dry state after flowering and in the early fall. When they are used for houseplants, they should have the same soil mixture as described above. The crushed stone should be limestone. Another thing that should be added is crushed or broken flowerpot. Start with extremely clean pots and make sure they have adequate drainage. Never allow them to become very dry, but do not over water them. If you are over watering, the leaves will turn yellow. They need good ventilation and shade during the summer. Saxifrages grown in the home should also have a top-dressing as described above. They can be repotted when they've filled up their pans or pots.

The Euaizoonia or Silver Saxifrages: They grow best in well-drained loam among rocks or in the drywall.

Propagation

Seeds, cuttings and division can be used to increase your stock. Mossy Saxifrages, such as S. umbrosa primuloides, strong Kabschias, such as S. apiculata and many of the Silver Saxifrages can easily be increased by lifting the plants and pulling them into pieces that have some roots attached and replanting them. In spring, early summer or fall, single leaf rosettes are removed with as much base stem as possible. Remove a few of the lower leaves and insert them into a pan of sand in a closed cold frame. They root easily and in a few weeks may be transplanted into small pots until they're large enough to plant in the rock garden. S. longifolia must be increased by seeds, which can be sown in a pan of loam, leaf mold and sand in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, plant them in small pots until large enough to plant in the rock garden. The Engleria Saxifrages are increased by leaf rosettes that are removed with as much of the basal stem as possible and treated like the cuttings described above. S. oppositifolia can be propagated by cuttings, too. Short side shoots are removed after flowering and rooted in pans of sand in a closed and shaded cold frame. Large plants can be divided and replanted.

Saxifraga is a large group of hardy perennial plants. Only a few are annuals or biennials. They are mostly natives of North and South Temperate and Arctic regions. A few are found in Asia and they are rare in South America. The name is an old Latin name derived from saxum, a rock and frangor, to break; the plant was thought to break stones in the bladder. Rockfoil is a common name given to Saxifrages. The Saxifrages are a varied group of plants and botanists have divided them into a number of sections. The Kabschia, the Engleria and the Porphyrion sections are the earliest kinds; they bloom in January and February. The others are Dactyloides, Euaizoonia, Diptera, Trachyphyllum, Hirculus and Cymbalaria. These plants are mostly used in the rock garden but one, S. sarmentosa, is often grown in greenhouses and homes. They have pretty flowers and handsome foliage and a long flowering period. The Silver Saxifrages (section Euaizoonia) grow best among rocks or in the dry wall. They have silver rosettes of foliage and sprays of white, yellow, or pink flowers. Kabschia Saxifrages should be grown in an open area, which preferably slopes toward the west or northwest rather than south. A few of these kinds do best if they're planted in a deep, narrow crevice in a rock. This group is also great for growing in pots and pans in an alpine house. They flower in early spring and their beautiful, dainty flowers form perfectly under glass.

Pot Cultivation

The Dactyloides or Mossy Saxifrages - These plants need a cool, partially shaded spot with a lot of room to spread. They grow very quickly. After these plants flower, it would be smart to top-dress the clumps with a fine mixture of sifted loam, leaf mold, and sand. You can pour this over the plants dry and carefully work it down between the rosettes with the fingers. If the soil mixture is fine and dry it should work down quite well. Water them overhead with a fine spray. With age, this group tends to become brown and patchy but this top-dressing keeps them healthy for a long time. Mossy Saxifrages with red flowers develop their vivid color in shady or partially shady spots; full sun just fades the color.
The Kabschia Saxifrages -They should be potted in soil consisting of loam, sand and leaf mold, with a generous amount of crushed stone added. Excellent drainage is a must and many buried stones help. As the plants grow, they should be top-dressed with fine soil that is worked down into the rosettes and stems. Fine loam, sifted leaf mold, sand and crushed rock may be used in a dry state after flowering and in the early fall. When they are used for houseplants, they should have the same soil mixture as described above. The crushed stone should be limestone. Another thing that should be added is crushed or broken flowerpot. Start with extremely clean pots and make sure they have adequate drainage. Never allow them to become very dry, but do not over water them. If you are over watering, the leaves will turn yellow. They need good ventilation and shade during the summer. Saxifrages grown in the home should also have a top-dressing as described above. They can be repotted when they've filled up their pans or pots.

The Euaizoonia or Silver Saxifrages: They grow best in well-drained loam among rocks or in the drywall.