Nature is wise and often endows plants with truly amazing qualities that enable them to survive in the most difficult conditions. A good example is the saxifrage - an extensive genus of herbaceous one-, two- or perennial plants of the same family.
It combines almost 400 species distributed over vast areas of temperate latitudes of the European-Asian continent, in Central America and the mountainous tropics of Africa. The name of the genus speaks of the incredible vitality and ability of the plant to comfortably use the scarcest natural resources. Let's talk about this amazing herb, its types, cultivation features and proper care.
Description
Despite the abundance of species, all saxifrages are rhizomatous herbaceous plants, the height of which, depending on the places of growthvaries from 5 to 70 cm, forming ground covers of various densities. Their leaves, different in shape and structure, are collected in a basal rosette. A feature of the genus is the ability of the leaves of many species to accumulate lime, which is why their color (usually along the edge) acquires a noticeable gray tint. The leaves are surrounded by strong peduncles, ending in five-petalled star-shaped flowers, single or collected in touching panicles. The color of the flowers is light, in the color palette there are all shades of white, yellow, pink or purple tones. Saxifrage flowers delight gardeners from May to August. The fruit is a box with small ripened seeds.
Kinds of saxifrage, extremely hardy flowers, varied. It makes no sense to present their scientific classification, we only note the fact that there are garden plants that decorate the country interior throughout the whole season, and indoor options that successfully fit into a warm home environment.
Features of the plant
Saxifrage is characterized by an accelerated rhythm of passing through all phases of development - from the appearance of the first young leaves to the ripening of seeds. The saxifrage flowers are pollinated by insects that are attracted to the nectar. Some species are self-pollinating. Brighter and more numerous flowers are obtained by planting several varieties of ground cover saxifrage on the site, stimulating cross-pollination. A similar method is used when constructing rock gardens or when soil is planted in near-trunk circles of fruit trees. High frost resistance is anothersuperior plant quality.
Saxifrage flower: planting and care
Many representatives of the Saxifrage family have been introduced into the culture, the bulk of which are decorative species used in garden and park interiors. As a rule, these are ground cover plants that bloom profusely and beautifully. The saxifrage is unpretentious, but to increase the decorativeness of the plant, it is worth listening to some rules of agricultural technology necessary for its qualitative development.
Usually the cultivation of these crops does not cause difficulties, apparently, in a simple grass there is a generic memory that adapts it to any growing conditions. The plant successfully takes root on medium-fertile soils, but needs limestone, therefore, when preparing the site for planting, the soil is limed. Additives such as gravel, peat, coarse river sand and high-quality humus will create comfort for the plant. The composition of the soil does not matter, saxifrage flowers (perennials and perennials) appear regardless of the soil structure on which they live. They grow equally successfully on clays, loams and sandy loams.
Planting a saxifrage on top of an alpine hill is not worth it, since such an arrangement of the plant requires constant exposure to the sun, and this will lead to a rapid loss of decorativeness. A more productive decision is to plant a crop on a slope or arrange rockeries in more shady places.
Garden Care
Originally a mountain plant, saxifrage successfully grows in rock crevices, natural or artificialcreated. When arranging alpine slides, saxifrage bushes are laid out with a stony component that helps retain moisture and protects the roots from scorching sunlight. When building a rock garden, it is important to remember the need for drainage, since stagnant water is detrimental to the plant - it is easier for it to endure short-term drying out than constant waterlogging. But during dry periods, additional watering is necessary for a crop such as saxifrage.
A garden flower with regular excessive watering traps the formation of rot, which is almost impossible to fight. In such a situation, the degree of moisture is corrected, and cuttings are cut from the he althy parts of the damaged bush and rooted.
Monthly, the plant is fed with complex mineral fertilizers. Saxifrage is a flower, the care of which is traditional and consists in loosening the soil and periodic weeding. At the end of flowering, the aerial parts of the plant are cut off, and after a while it is again covered with young foliage.
Reproduction
Pollinated saxifrage flowers produce many small black seeds, the germination rate of which is very high - 86%. Sown in light soil, they germinate in 5-7 days at an air temperature of 18-20˚C. With the appearance of 2-3 leaves, the seedlings dive, planted in open ground in the middle of summer, observing intervals between plants of 15-20 cm. Perennial saxifrages bloom the next summer.
Vegetative propagation is also successful - by cuttings, layering or division of the rhizome. Cut in July, the cuttings are rooted in boxes, arranged in a cool basement for the winter, and planted in a permanent place in the spring. Reproduction by layering is carried out as follows: after flowering, long shoots are pinned to the ground, placing them in prepared grooves.
In autumn, rooted cuttings are mulched with humus, and with the advent of spring, they are separated from the mother bush and planted. The division of the bush is carried out after flowering, separating young rosettes with a piece of rhizome from the mother plant. They successfully take root and winter without shelter.
In one place in the garden, the saxifrage grows productively for 5-6 years, and then loses its compactness and requires renewal of plantings.
Growing indoor saxifrage
Along with garden forms of saxifrage, there are many crops that are excellently adapted to growing at home.
The most popular species for indoor breeding are:
- Saxifrage weave (offspring), grown as an ampel culture. The rosettes planted in the container release stolons on which new rosettes form.
- Tricolor.
- Harvest Moon.
- Cotyledon resembling a succulent.
- Arendsa (mossy).
Preferences
The saxifrage flower, planting and caring for which in a city apartment is simple, prefers neutral soils, only cotyledon develops well on soils with an acidic reaction.
The plant needsweakly nutritious, humus soil, for example, clay-soddy composition. A saxifrage pot needs a shallow one, since the root system of the plant is superficial. Drainage is laid out at the bottom of the tank, which can be expanded clay, screenings, even pieces of foam.
The saxifrage is propagated by seeds, rosettes from the mother bush or cuttings.
Caring for home species
The saxifrage (room flower) is photophilous, like its garden counterparts, but the lighting should be diffused, exposure to direct sunlight significantly reduces the decorative effect of the culture. Have containers with plants near the windows of the western or eastern side. Throughout the year, the plant is watered moderately and regularly. Spraying is useful for the plant, especially in the hot season or in dry air in winter, when central heating radiators are working.
Comfortable air temperature for home saxifrage is 20-25˚С. With the onset of winter, the culture enters a dormant period. The temperature in the room should be lowered to 12-15˚С, the intensity of irrigation should be slightly reduced.
Transplants and fertilizing
Spring transplants are necessary for a plant only when the pot has become noticeably cramped, and the roots have completely covered the earthen ball. Each time, saxifrage flowers are transplanted into a container, the diameter of which is 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. The best culture container material is ceramic.
The saxifrage is fed all year round, even in the calm winter period, otherwise the stems begin to lengthen and losebeauty and decoration. In winter, the plant is fertilized with solutions of flower dressings monthly, and from early spring to late autumn - once every 2 weeks. The culture is afraid of overfeeding, so the drug is dissolved in the double rate of water recommended in the annotation. Note that nitrogen fertilizers are not used, as they stimulate the growth of green mass at the expense of flowering.
