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Saxifrage, advice on caring for it

Saxifrage
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Saxifrage is a beautiful little perennial that blooms for most of the year depending on the variety.

Saxifrage at a glance
Name Saxifraga
Family Saxifragaceae
Type perennial
Height 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm)
Exposure full sun and part sun depending on variety
Soil ordinary
Flowering February to August depending on variety

Along edges, as ground cover or to the side of a perennial flower bed, it will look magnificent.

Planting saxifrage

Planting saxifrage
Saxifrage loves to meander among rocks and stones

Saxifrage is a beautiful very hardy herbaceous flower that loves to meander among rocks and stones.

  • Rocky ground and old walls is the setting it likes best.

Saxifrage loves sun but will thrive most if the sun isn’t too hot. Light shade is great, too.

  • Favor planting in fall in garden soil amended with soil mix.
  • You can nonetheless plant up until spring, but ensure regular watering at the beginning.

Pruning saxifrage

It doesn’t need any pruning. Deadheading won’t trigger new blooming, but it will return the mound to a nicer, tidier look.

Three saxifrage varieties compared

Saxifrage covers many varieties with very different colours and habits. Here are three named in this article and what sets them apart.

Three saxifrage varieties compared
Variety Botanical name Flowers and foliage Where it shines
‘Dovedale’ Saxifraga hypnoides Flowers that carpet the ground Ground cover
‘Touran pink’ Saxifraga x arendsii (moss saxifrage) Pink flowers Easy-care beds and boxes
‘London Pride’ Saxifraga umbrosa Fresh green leaves, tall white flowers Shaded spots

Whichever you choose, all are very easy to grow and care for.

Learn more about saxifrage

This hardy ground cover has been known to host innumerable colors and shapes through its many varieties, and it is very easy to grow and care for.

Rock gardens, flower beds and also garden boxes or along a wall are where it will be at its best.

  • One of the most famous varieties is the famous ‘Dovedale’ hypnoides variety which bears flowers that carpet the ground beautifully.
  • A pink-flowered variety that’s easy to care for is ‘Touran pink’, a Saxifraga hybrid called S. x arendsii (it’s also called “moss saxifrage”).
  • Finally, a variety with fresh green leaves and elegant, tall white flowers is the ‘London Pride’, a type of S. umbrosa saxifrage that loves shade.

Smart tip about saxifrage

Its hardiness means it only needs little care. Simply water in case of drought.


Images: Pixabay: Cornelia Gerhardt, Jaqueline Henning

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