Saxifraga paniculata saxifrage. Saxifrage: decorate the garden with a flowering carpet. Saxifrage in the garden: growing conditions and care
Saxifrage (Saxifraga) belongs to the Saxifrage family.
The homeland of this plant is the cold and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. A feature of the saxifrage will be its survival.
So in nature, it can grow where other flowers simply cannot grow (rocks, foothills, mounds of stones). In the people, such a plant is also called "grass gap".
Look at the saxifrage in the photo below:
Photo gallery
Description of leaves, flowers and fruits of saxifrage
This is a beautiful ornamental deciduous herbaceous rosette plant. It has a rhizome, the roots of which are thin branched, but at the same time fully provide nutrition to the entire flower. A feature of this plant is the fact that more roots can grow in the internodes upon contact with the ground. This feature allows the saxifrage to grow rapidly over the surface.
The height of the home flower of the saxifrage is on average up to 30 cm. Some varieties of this plant can reach 70 cm, while others will not exceed 5 cm. The stems of the saxifrage are long, creep along the ground or hang down when grown in a pot.
Speaking of saxifrage, it is impossible not to say about its foliage when describing this plant. The leaves are petiolate, gathering in a basal rosette. But depending on the type of plant can vary greatly in shape and shade. Fleshy foliage, depending on the variety of saxifrage, can be almost round, oval, pinnate, heart-shaped, etc. In one species, it can be smooth, while in another it can be pubescent with a small pile. In some saxifrage leaves are green above and bright red below, in others they can be bluish or gray-gray, up to 7 cm in diameter.
A feature of saxifrage as houseplant there will be a white coating on the foliage, which is especially clearly visible at the edges. These are lime secretions that are produced by the plant itself.
Saxifrage blooms in early spring or early summer, on average, the peak occurs from May to August. The flowers are small, regular in shape, white-pink, or light yellow, depending on the species, collected in a complex brush or panicle, their size can reach 20 cm.
Look at the saxifrage plant in the photo during the flowering period:
Photo gallery
Each bud consists of pointed petals in the amount of 5 pieces, outwardly they resemble a bell with wide open edges or a star. The flowers of this plant emit a very light and pleasant aroma. The saxifrage is pollinated by insects or wind. The fruits are tied in September and are boxes with seeds. The seed is small, dark, and its shape is oblong.
The saxifrage is good as an ampelous plant. It is often used not only for indoor cultivation, but also for decorating flower beds, alpine slides in the garden, as some of its species form a beautiful flowering carpet.
Types and varieties of saxifrage: photos, names and descriptions of plant varieties
In nature, there are more than 400 types of saxifrage, many of them can be used for garden cultivation, for example, saxifrage "Bedrenets", saxifrage Soddy and others. Check out the characteristics of some of them.
For home floriculture, species with medium-sized leaf rosettes are most often used.
The most popular is the weaving saxifrage species (S. stolonifera) and its varieties (in the photo you can see them):
Photo gallery
In nature, a plant of this species can be found in China and Japan. Usually several rosettes are planted in one pot at once, then the flower looks more magnificent. The Cleaver-bearing species of saxifrage grows in pots as an ampelous plant. Stolons grow from each planted bush, young rosettes form on them, from which side shoots reappear. The flowering period of this variety of indoor saxifrage is long, from May to September.
The 'Harvest Moon' saxifrage variety is distinguished by a pale greenish tint of leaves that approaches yellow. Each sheet has a white-pink border around the edges.
The saxifrage of the “Tricolor” variety has a brighter green color, look at the presented photo, this is clearly visible:
Photo gallery
Another species that can be successfully grown at home is the K. Arends moss hybrid. This plant is an evergreen perennial with a tap root. In the process of its growth in a pot, it forms a dense cushion of greenery with a diameter of about 12 cm.
Depending on the variety, Arends' saxifrage gives different shade flowers.
Look at the most common varieties of this saxifrage in the photo with names and a brief description:
Saxifrage "Purple Carpet"- blooms with pink inflorescences.
Saxifrage "Purpurteppich"- gives flowers of a red shade.
Saxifrage "Schneeteppich"- has white buds.
Saxifrage «Peter Pan»- will please with soft pink flowers.
Look at the saxifrage of the Cotyledon species in the photo, she is her appearance looks a lot like a succulent
Photo gallery
The plant gives a rosette of dense foliage, depending on the varietal variety, it can be of a different shade. Its structure resembles a rose, so this species is often called the "stone rose". In a pot when grown at home, it looks very impressive. During the flowering period, it releases a brush with many delicate buds on it.
Especially popular for home cultivation is the saxifrage "Arctic Fortune" of the "Nadresolopastny" variety. This type of flower, originally from Sakhalin, the Kuriles and Japan, is a low-growing perennial plant with a medium-sized rhizome. The foliage is round, fairly large, basal. It is located on the roots, and there are cloves along the edges. During the flowering period (from August to September) it gives paniculate inflorescences, on which there are many buds, the diameter of which can reach 1 cm.
The saxifrage "Fortune" of the variety "Notched" has flowers of a pleasant pink hue.
Among other varieties of this flower, one can also distinguish:
Photo gallery
Growing these subspecies is possible at home, but they are more suitable for garden decoration, as they give an abundant green carpet with lush flowering.
How to plant a saxifrage and how to grow it (with video)
Saxifrage as an indoor flower belongs to light-loving plants. In such conditions, she feels very comfortable, but at the same time she tolerates penumbra quite well. The most suitable location for the saxifrage will be the western or eastern window sill. But on the south side, the plant needs shading, for example, with a translucent curtain.
If this is not done, then the foliage of the saxifrage will become pale. North windows are not suitable for this plant, as the light here will not be enough for its normal development. In low light, the leaf veins of the saxifrage lose their brightness and the plant becomes not so variegated, but about beautiful flowering can't even speak.
In the summer months, saxifrage is suitable for outdoor growing conditions (balconies, verandas, loggias, pots can be taken out into the garden). But even here it is important to shade and protect the plant from possible precipitation.
In winter, the minimum temperature is 5-7 ° C, but even here a lot depends on the saxifrage variety. For example, the owners of variegated leaves in winter period require more high temperature content (within 16 ° C), and plants with green foliage feel good at 12-14 ° C. IN summer period this indoor flower will develop well at 20-25 ° C.
Another factor for saxifrage to consider when caring for and growing is good air circulation. Remember that the room where the pot with this indoor flower is located should be regularly ventilated.
The plant requires high humidity, and every other day it is sprayed with water. You can increase this figure during the heating season or on hot summer days using a pallet with gravel or expanded clay, which should be constantly moistened. A pot with a flower is placed on such a design. In this case, it should be ensured that the holes at the bottom of the tank do not touch the water in the pan, but are located on the drainage. This will protect your plant from excess soil moisture in the pot. During the heating period, you can place a damp cloth on a warm battery - this is another way to raise the percentage of air humidity.
Before planting the saxifrage in the ground, it should be disinfected. To do this, it is enough to hold the soil in a well-heated oven for about a quarter of an hour. The substrate - humus, leafy and soddy soil, sand (1: 1: 1: 1) is suitable for almost all types and varieties of saxifrage, but for K. Cotyledon, more acidic soil should be selected. Another important point for choosing a soil mixture is to give preference to soil with good air and moisture permeability.
To learn more about the environmental requirements for saxifrage, see this video:
When caring for this plant, you should remember certain rules. Even though it grows in the wild in a rather harsh climate and conditions, hybrid species for growing at home require special attention. Therefore, if you want the indoor saxifrage to develop well, provide it with decent care.
The main things to pay attention to when growing this plant:
- Watering.
- Maintaining humidity.
- Application of fertilizers.
- Transplantation and soil preparation.
Watering in summer should be plentiful, moderate in winter. Despite the fact that the plant is moisture-loving, the saxifrage, when cared for at home, will not tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil. This leads to rotting of the root system and death of the flower. As well as stagnant moisture, one should also be wary of prolonged complete drying of the soil in a saxifrage pot. Therefore, flower growers recommend focusing on the top layer in a pot to determine the moistening time. As soon as it dries 2-3 cm deep, it's time to water.
When moistening, use soft room temperature water and make sure that it does not fall on the rosette of leaves. Moisture in this area can lead to rotting. To protect the plant from getting water on the outlet, you can use bottom watering. To do this, liquid is poured into the pan, and as soon as the earth is completely saturated with moisture, the rest is drained.
The saxifrage plant requires mandatory spraying when leaving in the summer. It should also be carried out regularly in winter, provided that the room where the flower grows is dry air. Spraying is carried out every other day from a spray bottle, and warm, soft water is used for this procedure. The spray should be very fine and carried out around the plant pot so that drops do not flow into the outlet.
How to care for saxifrage: feeding and transplanting
During the period of active growth (March - August), a complex fertilizer is applied weekly. In winter, the number of dressings is reduced to once every two months. Timely fertilizer is the answer to the question of how to grow a beautiful, regular-shaped saxifrage. If top dressing is not enough, then the shoots of the plant are drawn out, the rosettes practically do not develop, and the flowering period may not come. It is important to remember that if you are using fertilizer for decorative leafy houseplants, which is also acceptable for saxifrage, then the concentration indicated on the packaging for it should be halved.
Transplanted annually in the spring while the plant is still young. How to care for a room saxifrage when she is already old enough? For such flowers, transplantation is carried out as needed, paying attention to the root system. If it has completely occupied the entire soil, it makes sense to transship into a larger pot. For such a plant, it is necessary to select a container that is low, but wide. And to make this indoor flower look more magnificent and spectacular in it, you can plant several rosettes in one pot.
Reproduction of saxifrage: how to plant a daughter outlet
Saxifrage is a plant that propagates with the help of daughter rosettes with aerial roots formed at the ends of the shoots, dividing the bush or seeds. The first method is considered the simplest and most affordable, which even novice gardeners can handle.
You can do this in two ways:
- Plucking child sockets.
- By planting them in the ground without separating them from the mother plant.
How to plant a saxifrage daughter outlet by plucking? First you need to choose a suitable healthy escape. At its end, there should already be a formed rosette; in some varieties, small roots can already be seen on it. Carefully with a sharp blade, it is separated from the shoot. The outlet deepens into the prepared soil to a depth of 2-3 cm. The soil in the pot must be moist, but not flooded. Very soon, such a process will take root and begin to grow actively. The first fertilizer application should not be earlier than 1 month after planting.
If no roots are visible on the outlet you separated, then such planting material must be held in water with Kornevin before planting in the ground. As soon as the roots appear, feel free to plant the plant in the ground.
Another way to plant a rosette without roots is to place it in the ground without separating it from the mother plant. A saxifrage flower with such a planting and proper care(timely watering, temperature in the range of 20-25 ° C) will take root very quickly. As soon as signs of development and growth of a young plant appear, it is separated by cutting off the stolon.
Proper cultivation of saxifrage from seeds and care at home
But growing a saxifrage from seeds at home is not so easy, and such a procedure requires a lot of patience and effort from a grower. Sowing of planting material is carried out in the spring. To begin with, boxes are prepared, which are filled with vermiculite and peat in equal proportions, the earth mixture is well pressed. Seeds mixed with sand are planted on the prepared soil, but they are not sprinkled. For saxifrage, when grown from seeds, moistening from a spray bottle is sufficient. Next, the container with planting material is covered with polyethylene, creating optimal conditions for growth. The contents of a box with saxifrage seeds should be carried out at a temperature in the range of 18-22 ° C. Under such conditions, the first bores will appear within a crescent.
The picking of seedlings is carried out after the appearance of 2-3 full leaves. To do this, each bore is transplanted into separate medium-sized pots. Here, indoor saxifrage, grown from seeds, will stay until such time as its root system completely fills the allotted container. During this period, the sprouts need to provide the conditions described above. Further, the formed young plants can be planted several times in one pot, but it must be wide enough for such a planting. First color saxifrage at proper cultivation from seeds at home will give next year.
The division of the saxifrage bush
The propagation method by dividing the bush is used more to rejuvenate the plant. After the flowering period is over, young rosettes with roots are separated from the center of the mother bush and planted in the prepared soil mixture. Pots with such young saxifrages should be kept in a shady place, as they are rather weak, then, when they begin to grow actively, you should choose a place with brighter lighting, but without direct sunlight.
Look again at the various types of saxifrage in the photo and remember their names: Pletonosnaya, Arendsa, Fortuna:
Photo gallery
Such plants can become a real decoration of your windowsill, and with proper care for them, they will surely delight you with abundant and beautiful flowering.
This article will open for you such a beautiful and amazing plant like a saxifrage. You can learn about how it is grown, cared for, planted in open ground, 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 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 good drainage system, since 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
Stone rock gardens are often laid out around the saxifrage bushes, 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 very 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 packaging.
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 are covered yellow spots dry up 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
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 irises, muscari and many other undersized crops. 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
One of the most unpretentious plants is the saxifrage, which even a beginner can take care of. Gardeners often use it to decorate rocky compositions and form ridges.
plant description
Saxifrage (Saxifraga)- perennial (one- and two-year-old species are less common) of the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae). The name of the plant comes from two Latin words: "saxum" - rock and "fragere" - to break. This is due to the ability of the plant to settle in the crevices of rocks and destroy the rock with its roots. The popular name for the saxifrage is “gap-grass”.
In the natural environment, there are about 400 various kinds saxifrage. No more than 80 species are cultivated in gardens. They are most widespread in temperate and northern latitudes, including the Arctic regions.
The saxifrage, the beauty of which you can appreciate even in the photo, is a low-growing plant that can form a decorative rug. The leaves of various plant species are very diverse in shape and type of surface: they can be thick, leathery, dense, fleshy, round or slightly elongated. The color of the leaves varies from dark green to gray-green tones.
The flowers of the saxifrage are small, collected in racemose or paniculate inflorescences. Most often there are species with white inflorescences, less often - with pink or red flowers.
Photo gallery
The most common types and varieties
Arends' saxifrage
Arends' saxifrage is a fairly common undersized hybrid. They grow no more than 10-20 cm in height, forming dense thickets. The leaves are separate, rich green color, which is visible even in the photo. Blooms in May-June.
It grows well and develops in northern latitudes. In gardens and flowerbeds, Arends' saxifrage is planted in small groups that form a continuous flowering carpet.
Arends saxifrage is represented by the following varieties:
- Purpurmantel - a plant with purple-pink flowers, the height of the stems does not exceed 20 cm.
- Blutenteppih - a variety with bright red inflorescences, forms a flower mat not exceeding 15 cm in height.
- Schneeteppih - a plant with dark green leaves and white flowers.
- Flamingo - the variety got its name because of the pink flowers, which have a similar color with a magnificent bird. Seeds of this variety can be purchased at specialized stores.
Saxifrage Thigh
The saxifrage femur is a perennial herbaceous plant. Belongs to the umbrella family. Most common in the Caucasus, Siberia and the European part. Grows in light pine forests, clearings, edges, open grassy slopes.
Thigh-stoner is a rather tall species. The erect stems can reach 60 cm in height.
The flowers of this type of quarry are white, collected in umbrella inflorescences, formed in May-June.
This type of quarry is rarely cultivated as ornamental plant. Most often it is grown for its medicinal properties. IN folk medicine all parts of the plant are used: roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds.
Indoor saxifrage
Indoor saxifrage is very suitable for beginner gardeners. Dry cool air of apartments in winter time does no harm to the room saxifrage. In its natural environment, this type of plant grows in the mountainous regions of Japan and China, clinging to crevices with long shoots.
At home, the plant is planted in, following the instructions posted in one of our articles. Numerous shoots go down, forming several tiers. It is better to have such a hanging pot in a shaded place, because. with excessive lighting, the leaves of the plant lose color and become faded. Most impressive in the photo look joint landings room saxifrage with flowering petunias.
Weaving saxifrage maintenance and care (video)
Saxifrage: planting and care
Saxifrage is propagated in three ways:
- using seeds;
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush.
seeds the plant is small, they are used for growing seedlings in closed ground. Sowing is carried out in the spring, in March or April. The soil for seedlings is taken nutritious, light enough. It is lightly rammed in a planting container, then moderately moistened and seeds mixed with a small amount of sand are poured on top with a thin layer. Then cover the pot with glass or tighten with a film.
The first shoots appear in 10-12 days. A month later, the grown plants dive into peat pots. Seedlings are planted in open ground in a permanent place in the month of June. Young plants will begin to bloom only next year.
Bush division method used to rejuvenate old plants. After the end of flowering, lateral young rosettes with roots are separated from the central mother bush. It is better to plant young plants in shady places. They are left to winter in the open ground, and in the spring they are transplanted to a permanent place.
cuttings saxifrage is propagated in June-July, when the flowering of the bush ends. To do this, long side shoots bend down to the ground and fix. By the end of summer, the cuttings take root. In winter, young plants are covered with fallen leaves. Young shoots are separated from the mother plant in the spring, immediately transplanting them to a permanent place.
Soils for planting saxifrage choose light, in which water does not stagnate. In heavy soil, when planting, you can add coarse river sand, humus or peat. Watering is carried out in sufficient quantities, preventing overdrying of the soil. Regularly (at least once or twice a month) feed with complex fertilizer.
In one place, saxifrages grow for 5-7 years. Then the bush ages and falls apart, exposing the middle. As soon as this happens, the bush is rejuvenated due to lateral shoots and transplanted to a new place.
When choosing a saxifrage, you should pay attention to prefabricated sockets, which are already rooted.
This plant will feel best in hanging planter located as far as possible from heating appliances.
It needs good drainage, which will protect the roots from rotting due to stagnant water.
pruning
Watering
To water this plant, use soft settled water. During the period from March to October, watering should be regular and be performed immediately, as soon as you notice that the top layer of the earth began to dry out. In winter, the saxifrage should be watered less, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out.
Landing
Planting saxifrage can be carried out in any season. Pick up a small wide pot for these purposes and plant several sockets there at once.
ATTENTION! At the bottom of the pot, do not forget to pour a layer of expanded clay to make drainage.
For this representative of the flora is best suited humus soil mixture. To prepare it, you can combine two parts of leafy soil, four parts of clay-soddy soil and one part of sand. You can also mix one part of peat, humus, sand, as well as humus and leafy soil.
The saxifrage garden is best plant in early spring. The distance between plants should not be less than twenty centimeters. This beauty is very warm towards limestone, so crushed limestone should be added to the soil or a rock garden should be made of stones, on the slope of which a plant should be planted.
If the soil in your garden contains clay, you can add river sand and turf soil to it, and also make drainage layer.
Transfer
For a flower that grows in room conditions, a transplant is necessary when its roots are braided with an earthen ball.
Temperature
When the saxifrage is going through a growing period, it must be kept at an ambient temperature of twenty to twenty-four degrees above zero.
In winter the temperature in the room where the pot with this plant is located should be from sixteen to eighteen degrees Celsius for varieties with variegated leaves and from twelve to fourteen degrees for green-leaved saxifrages.
Lighting
Best indoor saxifrage will feel on the windowsill of the western or eastern window. You can also place it on the north side. But if you decide to put the pot on the south side, keep it away from the window and keep the leaves out of direct sunlight.
ATTENTION! Excessive lighting will lead to blanching of the leaves, and insufficient - to a loss of brightness of the veins.
In summer, you can take the flower to the balcony, but do not forget to cover it from the sun and rain.
When planting saxifrage in open ground, position it so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. You can solve this problem by blocking the sun with any tall plant located on the south side.
Photo
You can admire the indoor saxifrage grown at home in the photo: 
reproduction
The most popular breeding methods for saxifrage are as follows:
seeds
Seeds are recommended to be sown in seedling boxes in spring. Growing saxifrage from seeds is quite an exciting process. Planting them in open ground is not immediately worth it, as they are very small.
IMPORTANT! To increase the germination of seeds, they are kept in the cold for two months.
Seeds are mixed with sand and sown in boxes filled with a light nutrient substrate consisting of greenhouse soil, sand and peat. Nothing on top no need to sprinkle the seeds. Water them with a spray bottle and keep them in a room with an air temperature of eighteen to twenty degrees Celsius.
Already on the sixth or ninth day, you may notice that the seeds have sprouted. Then you will need dive shoots, leaving the strongest of them. When the seedlings grow up, they can be planted in pots or placed in open ground.
For more information on growing saxifrage from seeds, see the video:
Rosettes
To propagate the plant with rosettes, you need to cut off one of the side rosettes that form on your pet during its growth. Do it best in summer time.
Dig its base with soil and water it. When the outlet takes root, let it overwinter in the same place, and it will be possible to transplant it next spring.
shoots
To propagate saxifrage by shoots, it is necessary to bend the extreme long shoots to the ground and sprinkle them with moistened earth so that the top remains on the surface. Fill the dug place with humus and foliage to keep the soil from drying out.
When the shoot takes root, separate it and plant it in a substrate consisting of a mixture of two parts of humus earth, one part of sand and one part of soddy land. After planting, the shoot needs abundant watering.
Benefit and harm
Application in medicine
The saxifrage not only pleases the eye with its beauty, but also has wonderful healing properties.
Folk healers have long noticed that this plant has antitumor, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-febrile effect on the human body.
The leaves of the saxifrage are used to extract juice, which is applied externally. with frostbite, boils or abscesses, as well as to reduce pain with otitis. Internal application This juice helps in the treatment of diseases such as ascites, bronchial asthma and nervous disorders.
Decoctions and infusions are prepared from the saxifrage, which are used to lower the temperature, help stop vomiting and cure infectious diseases.
But, as you know, the misuse of any medicinal plant capable of harming human body. The use of saxifrage for medicinal purposes should be treated with caution during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, it is not recommended for people suffering from bradycardia and thrombosis.
Uncontrolled intake of this plant can lead to dermatitis.
Diseases and pests
The most common pest of saxifrage can be called spider mite. Its appearance is promoted by excessive dryness of the air. High humidity causes the appearance of fungal diseases and powdery mildew. Plant treatment will help solve these problems. copper preparations.
Often the flower is attacked by worms, which must be removed manually. Anti-coccidial drugs will help get rid of these pests.
If the leaves are covered with a black sticky coating, then your pet was damaged by a green aphid. In this case, process it pyrimor.
Conclusion
Proper maintenance and care of the saxifrage will give you the joy of contemplating its flowers for many years.
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Saxifrage - amazing ground cover perennial from the Saxifrage family. It is able to survive and flourish in conditions that are unsuitable for many living organisms. The saxifrage can be found at the foot of the mountains, on rocks and rocky mounds. It got its name for the ability to settle in the smallest cracks and gradually destroy the stone with its roots. The plant is also called "gap-grass". In nature, it grows in temperate climates throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is successfully cultivated in gardens as a ground cover.
Botanical description
Saxifrage is a rhizomatous plant 5-70 cm high. They have long creeping stems. The plant is nourished by thin, branched roots. They are at the base of the processes, and are also formed in the internodes of the shoots upon contact with the ground. As a result, loose turf grows very quickly.
Petiole leaves are collected in a basal rosette. They vary greatly in some species. The fleshy or leathery leaf plate can have a variety of shapes (oval, heart-shaped, diamond-shaped, pinnate). Leaves are smooth or slightly hairy. They are painted in dark green, silver, gray or bluish. The leaves are gradually covered with a white bloom, it is especially noticeable at the edges. In fact, these are lime deposits that are released by the plant itself.
In May-August, the saxifrage is covered with small flowers. Correctly shaped corollas on vertical arrows up to 20 cm long are collected in loose panicles. They consist of five petals with a pointed edge, so they resemble a star or a wide open bell. Flowers are most often colored White color, but there are yellow, pink and red. They exude a subtle pleasant aroma.
The saxifrage is pollinated by insects, but it is also prone to self-pollination with the help of wind. In September, fruits are tied - multi-seeded boxes with dark small oblong seeds.
Species diversity
The genus of saxifrage is very diverse. It has over 450 species.
Plants form dense bright green sods up to 20 cm high. Openwork small leaves are divided into narrow strips. Miniature star-shaped flowers bloom in May-June. Plants tolerate even severe frosts well. Varieties:
- Flamingo - blooms with pale pink buds;
- White carpet - loose paniculate inflorescences with white bells up to 1 cm in diameter bloom over low dark green shoots;
- Purple carpet - peduncles and the flowers themselves are painted burgundy or purple, and the core of the bud is yellow.
The variety blooms very little, but it is distinguished by dense bluish-green sods that can grow even on slightly acidic soil. Varieties:
- Triumph - covered with red flowers in June;
- Rose Kenigen - dissolves bright pink delicate inflorescences.
Herbaceous perennial 4-8 cm high forms beautiful symmetrical rosettes of fleshy leaves with serrated edges. The foliage is gray-green or bluish-green. Paniculate inflorescences of yellow, red or white colors bloom from the center of the outlet on a long arrow.
Dense dark green thickets form cushions 30-60 cm high. Creeping stems quickly spread over long distances. In June, fairly large flowers with five rounded petals bloom. Opened, they are painted in pink color, but gradually become purple.
Shade-loving plant up to 20 cm high with whole evergreen leaves of rich tones. The oval leaves with uneven edges are covered with purple stains below. In July, paniculate inflorescences with white small flowers bloom over leaf rosettes. Their core is purple.
Creeping branched shoots are very densely covered with bright green foliage. The edges of the oblong leaves are cut into thin stripes, so the dense cushion resembles moss thickets. In summer, yellow-white flowers bloom on peduncles up to 6 cm long.
The ground cover plant forms a dense green carpet. It is covered with petiolate rounded leaves. In early summer, white flowers with purple dots on the petals bloom on arrows up to 40 cm long. Plants are shade-tolerant and frost-resistant.
Growing saxifrage from seeds
Saxifrage seeds remain viable for up to three years. Before sowing, they must be stratified. To do this, the seeds mixed with sand are placed in the refrigerator for 15-20 days. Sow them first for seedlings. In March, containers are prepared with a mixture of greenhouse soil and sand. The soil is scalded, and the smallest seeds mixed with sand are scattered on the surface. You don't need to deepen them. Crops are sprayed and covered with a transparent lid.
Sprouts appear after 1-2 weeks. The grown seedlings with 2-4 leaves swoop down on separate peat pots. In May, seedlings begin to take out during the day for hardening. In open ground, the saxifrage is transplanted in early June. She intensively builds up shoots, but blooms only next summer.
Vegetative propagation
Creeping shoots take root on their own. Roots form in the axils of the leaves upon contact with the ground. It is enough to cut off the rooted shoot from the mother plant and carefully transplant it to a new place with a clod of earth. Honestly, daughter rosettes are formed on the stems even without contact with the ground. They grow aerial roots. In the spring, the shoot is cut off and planted in open ground.
Shoots 5-10 cm long are cut into cuttings in summer. You can root them in water or loose sandy-peat soil. In autumn, a full-fledged small plant is obtained, but it is not yet ready for wintering in the garden. It is grown indoors and only transplanted outside next spring.
Landing and care at home
Saxifraga are very tenacious and unpretentious plants. They are grown outdoors and are also used as indoor flower. Plants develop best in well-lit areas or in partial shade. In the garden for seedlings, shallow pits are prepared at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. The saxifrage is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but prefers loose, well-drained substrates with a slightly alkaline reaction. The soil is dug up with slaked lime, gravel, sand and peat before planting.
Indoor flowers are planted 2-3 plants together to get a denser bush. They are transplanted as needed when the flower becomes crowded in a pot. The container is selected shallow, but wide enough. Pebbles, broken bricks or expanded clay are necessarily poured into the bottom with a thick layer.
During the period of active growth, the optimum temperature for saxifrage is + 20 ... + 25 ° C. For the winter, it is lowered to + 12 ... + 15 ° C. Variegated varieties are not recommended to fall below +15…+18°C. If indoor flowers are kept warm in winter, additional lighting is needed, otherwise the stems will stretch out a lot.
The saxifrage feels best at high humidity, so the sods need to be sprayed periodically. Watering is done by sprinkling. It is necessary to moisten the soil with care so that the water does not stagnate at the roots, and the top layer has time to dry out. The saxifrage covers the entire soil, so there is no need to weed the soil near it. It also successfully suppresses weeds.
In spring and summer, saxifrage thickets are fertilized twice a month. Usually alternate organic with mineral complexes. In winter, feeding is continued, but they are carried out less frequently (every 1.5-2 months).
The plant overwinters in temperate climates without shelter. Even if some of the shoots freeze in severe snowless winters, young shoots will appear from growth points in early spring and close the bald spots on the ground. Peduncles live only one year and dry out in autumn.
Indoor flowers are cut in half in spring in order to preserve the decorative effect of the bush longer. But in any case, after 5-6 years, the plant needs to be rejuvenated, since the bases of the shoots are strongly stretched and exposed.
Possible difficulties
With excessive dampness and stagnant water, the saxifrage is affected powdery mildew and rust. Mold spots may also appear on the leaves. To prevent such diseases, it is necessary to keep the plants in a drier room and limit watering. Damaged leaves and shoots are cut off, and the remaining parts are processed. blue vitriol or fungicides.
Sometimes spider mites, mealybugs and aphids settle in the thickets. They quickly disappear after treatment with an insecticide (Aktara, Pirimor) or a soapy solution.
Use of saxifrage
A delicate green carpet, over which pink and white flowers rise, as if artificial, on long stems, suitable for landscaping rockeries, alpine slides and masonry decoration. The saxifrage easily decorates voids and decorates borders. It is also used in indoor gardening and as an ampelous plant. Phloxes, tiarellas, lingonberries or Chinese gentian can become partners for saxifrage.
The use of saxifrage is known as medicinal product. Its leaves contain a large amount of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, organic acids and coumarins. Decoctions are taken as anti-inflammatory, anti-febrile and analgesic drugs. With their help, bronchitis, tonsillitis, gout, hemorrhoids, purulent rashes and skin ulcers are treated.
