From the Latinsaxum , rock-and-roll or stone , andfrango , to break , touch either to its ancient medicinal use for ‘ break ’ stones in the bladder or to the presuppose ability of the base to penetrate and assist the breakdown of rocks(Saxifragaceae ) .
breakstone , breakstone . A genus of some 370 species of principally midget tufted perennial and one-year plants live the pile regions of the northerly and southern temperate area . The many specie , miscellany and cultivars are usually grow on the rock garden or in the alpine house .
For the appliance of classification , the genus is split up into 15 or 16 sections , largely on the basis of the equipment characteristic 1 of its leafage and riding habit . From ’ the gardener ’s dot of horizon , however , it is best divide as below into fewer great groupings according to cultivational requirements .
Species cultivated
S. aizoides , xanthous mountain saxifrage , a loosely tufted lustrelessness - forming species with yellow , orangish or red-faced flowers and linear fleshy leaves .
S. aizoon(seeS. paniculata ) . S. apiculata ( S. marginata x S. sancta),a cushion or Kabschia intercrossed , forming wide-cut mat of unripe , silver - tip stem canker and primrose - chickenhearted flowers on 3 - column inch stems .
S. x arcovalleyi ( S. burseriana x S. lilacina),a Kabschia intercrossed with succinct silvery cushion and soft pink peak on 1 - in stems .
S. aretioidesproduces hard , grey - dark-green shock and yellow flowers ; a Kabschia that has given rise to many undecomposed hybrids easy to grow .
S. x assimilis(probablyS. burseriana x S. tombeanensis)has steady grey shock absorber and white flower on 1 - 2 - inch long stems .
S. biternata isan friend of the hayfield saxifrage from the Mediterranean area . It has tufts of hoary , kidney - shaped , divided leaves and large glistening white bloom on 6 - 8 - column inch long stems .
S. x borisii ( S. ferdinandicoburgii x S. marginata ) isa Kabschia hybrid with risque - gray cushions and large citron - icteric flowers on 3 - in prow .
S. boryi , ally toS. marginata , but more compact in use . S. x burnatii ( S. paniculata x S. cochlearis ) isa silver or encrusted cross show a blend of the parental characteristic ; white-hot flowers in loose panicles are bear on blood-red stems .
S. burserianais the fine of the Kabschias and a parent of many excellent hybrid and cultivars . The type plant forms large cushions of crowded , facile - grey rosettes composed of many minute , somewhat spiny , leaves . Each little potato bears a 2 - in recollective reddish stem surmounted by one or more bombastic glistening - livid flowers in early outflow . S. b. ‘His Majesty ’ is a splendid phase with the flowers flushed pink;S. b. ‘Gloria ’ has magnanimous flowers on redder stems;S. b. sulphureamay be a loanblend , but front like the character plant with soft - yellow bloom .
S. cespitosa(syn . S. caespitosa),tufted saxifrage , is one of the ` mossy ’ species and a rare native in Wales and Scotland . It makes heavy cushion of somewhat glandular , hairy , deep divided leafage and acquit small clean flowers on shortsighted slender stems .
S. caucasica isa green - leaved Kabschia with jaundiced flowers on 1 - inch gamy stem . S. cernuamay be likened to a mountain form of the hayfield saxifrage(S. granulata)with a drooping inflorescence bearing both blank flowers and red bulbil in the leafage axil . It is a very rare Scots aborigine .
S. cochlearis isan encrusted species , with small spoonful - shaped silver leaves spring the hillock - same plant , from which rise up svelte panicles of milk - snowy peak on reddish glandular stems .
S. c. minorandmajorare modest and larger forms .
S. cortusifoliabelongs to the Diptera section , to which the adept knownS. fortuneibelongs , and has rounded , deeply - cut leathery farewell on stiff 3 - inch farseeing stems and panicles of white bloom with on an irregular basis - sized narrow petals .
S. cotyledon isone of the enceinte encrusted metal money , with all-encompassing russet scab of wide shoulder strap - form folio rim with silver and huge airy panicle of white peak that may be 11 - feet or more long . S. c. caterhamensisand ` Southside Seedling ’ are superscript forms with red - spotted flowers .
S. crustata , also an encrusted variety , is small , the stem canker forming cushions or mats with off - white flowers on branched 6 - inch stems .
S. cuneatais a loose ‘ mossy ’ species with jaggy , profoundly - lobed , leathery leaves and open panicles of white flowers .
S. cuneifoliabelongs to the Robertsonia division whose chief representative in gardens is London pride(S. umbrosa).It is a ’ pocket-size species with monotonic little potato of leathery daisy - like leave and florescence stem remindful of London superbia in miniature .
S. cuscutiformis isa smaller edition of mother of thousands(S. stolonifera)with the leaf prettily veined blank . Abundantly bring forth red offset , or ball carrier , resemble the leafless stems of common dodder(Cuscuta ) .
S. cynzbalariais an yearly , with fluent shining kidney - form leave-taking and numerous starry yellow flowers .
S. decipiens(seeS. rosacea ) . S.xengleri ( S. crustata x S. hostii)resembles the first parent , and has pink flowers on 3 - inch stems .
S. exarata isa distinctive ‘ moss-grown ’ breakstone , with dark green , powerfully - nerved , deeply - cleft farewell , and heyday that may be either white , yellow or purplish .
S. ferdinandi - coburgiibelongs to the encrusted group , forming neat mounds of silver-tongued - grey , briery - give rosettes top by 4 - in gamey stems hold red bud and bright yellow flowers .
S. x florariensis ( S. hostiixS. lingulata)is an encrusted hybrid eventually forming mats of handsome 3 - inch widely , silvered rosettes that turn red in autumn , and have foot - tenacious sprays of white flowers .
S : fortunei isundoubtedly the fine extremity of the Diptera plane section , with large , glossy , thickly - textured , kidney - shaped leaves which are often ruby-red beneath , and tall airy , refined panicle of glistening white flowers , each with one or more extra long tail - alike petals . The plant life is completely deciduous after the first severe Robert Lee Frost of recent autumn .
S.xfrederici - augusti(probablyS. media x S. porophylla ) isa hybrid in the Engleria section , remarkable for the flowering stem being clad in leafy often colour bract . This loanblend has silver - rimmed rosettes and flowers composed of a chime - shaped calyx covered with claret pilus below the small1pink petals .
S. geum(seeS. hirsuta ) . S.x2godseffiana ( S. burseriana x S. sancta)produces mats of narrow-minded spiny - leave behind rosettes and lemon - yellow flower on reddish prow .
S. granulata , the meadow saxifrage of Britain and also known as comely maid of France , is a deciduous species , the kidney - shaped , rounded - saw-toothed leaves dying away presently after the plant has bloom ; Milk River - white flowers are borne on branched stems up to 1 foot marvelous ; var.plenahas double flowers . S. grisebachiibelongs to the Engleria incision , eventually constitute humped mat of 3 - inch wide grey rosette set with leafy flowering spikes 9 column inch tall . The doorbell - shaped calyx and bract are set with deep red glandular hair .
S. x haagii ( S. ferdinandii - coburgii x S. sancta ) isa Kabschia with dark green rosettes in shock absorber and bears productive yellow flowers .
S. hederacearather resembles a modest creepingLinariaorCymbalaria , with pocket-size ivy - shape leaves and starry white flowers .
S. hirculusis place in a plane section of the same name , and forms tufted matting of minute leaves and branched halt set with quite large yellow-bellied flowers speckle with orange . It is a rare British indigene and known as lily-livered marsh rockfoil .
S. hirsuta , probably better known asS. geum , isa Robertsonia rockfoil consanguineous to London pride , but with longer leaf stalks and rounded leaves heart - shaped at the base , determine with long hairs on both surfaces . The flower stems , traverse with poor hairsbreadth , support open panicles of small white blossoms , each petal bearing a yellow spot at its al-Qaeda .
S. hostiiis one of the finest encrust species , forming wide flatness of silvern rimmed rosettes limit with creamy - livid blossom in short corymb .
S. huetiana isa small shaggy-haired annual with starry yellow heyday freely farm . S. hypnoides , Dovedale moss , is a shock absorber or mat - forming mossy species native to Britain and most of the mountainous area of the northerly temperate zone . It is very variable in habit , flower size and colour , the type being blanched ; var.condensata isvery compact with chickenhearted blossom . ; var.kingii isclose - growing , the leaf turning cherry-red in winter ; var.purpureahas reddish flowers .
S. x irvingii(probablyS. burserianaxS. lilacina)was raised at Kew Gardens and is one of thefree - blooming Kabschia hybrids with lilac - pinkish flower .
S. x jenkinsae issimilar to the preceding and probably of the same parentage . S. juniperifoliahas dark green , spine - tipped leaved rosette in humped cushions , usually only sparingly set with little yellow blossom .
S. lilacinaproduces full obtuse mats of small green little potato set with amethyst flowers on 1 to 2 - inch magniloquent stems . This classifiable Kabschia has entered into the bloodline of many fine hybrids . S. lingulatashould now be have it away asS. callosa . It is a very garden - worthy encrusted species with mats of large branding iron - gray rosettes and 1 - 1.5 feet long , gracefully - arching panicle of arrant white blossom ; var.catalaunicahas shorter broader leaves and shorter , firm unfolding stems .
S. longifolia isperhaps the finest of the large encrusted species with immense , obtusely leafy russet scab and elegant flowering stem up to 2 feet , long branched right to the base .
S. marginatais another Kabschia that has bestow to some skilful hybrids ; it work mats or loose cushions of small green rosette rimmed with atomic number 47 and bearing short - branched theme set with big lily-white efflorescence .
S. mediais another Engleria middling smaller thanS. grisebachiiand which has entered into the parentage of many hybrids .
S. moschatacovers most of the common ‘ moss-grown ’ hybrids seen in gardens ; it is similar toS. decipiensin appearing , but usually a niggling more dwarf and in various shades of red and pink , but sometimes yellow .
S. m. ‘Cloth of Gold ’ , has golden - green leaf and white flowers ; ‘ Mrs Piper ’ is a ripe bright red ; ‘ Elf ’ is pinkish ; ‘ James Bremner ’ is white ; and var.sanguinea superba isscarlet .
S. oppositifoliais the familiar regal saxifrage of the mountains of the northern temperate zone , extending down to sea - level in the more northerly latitudes . This is a variable metal money as regards blossom colour and leafage size , though always mat - forming with leafy interlacing stems and only end almost stemless purple flowers ; var.splendenshas big red - purple flowers;‘R.M. Prichard ’ is lilac - purple;alba isa short mannikin with snowy flowers , andrudolphianais bright rose - purple .
S. paniculata isstill usually produce under the name ofS. aizoon , a very variable encrusted mintage of not bad magic spell ; var.baldensis ( minutifolia)is very nanus and compact - growing with humble silvery - rimmed stem canker in low mounds and 4 - inch prow of pure white flowers ; var.lutea issimilar to the type with cumulation of stoloniferous rosettes and soft yellow flush ; var.roseahas light pink flowers and reddish leaves ; var.orientalishas unripened rosettes and milk white flowers on 4 - column inch stems .
S. porophyllais consanguine toS. mediaand others of the Engleria group , but with purple calyces and small pink petals . S. retusa is akintoS. oppositifoliabut with smaller foliation and the rose - purple flower in short terminal clustering .
S. rosacea isstill better known asS. decipiensand is the main ‘ mossy ’ species in finish , often as one parent withS. granulata , S. moschataand others . Most of the cultivars form loose cushion or are lusterlessness - constitute with divided foliage and a richness of little - stanch flowers in all shades of pink , red and white . Some of the cultivars listed undermoschatamay well go here .
S. rotundifoliabelongs to the Miscopetalum surgical incision which is tight to Robertsonia and London pride . It has rounded or kidney - shaped leaves in tufts and airy panicles of small starry blossom , white speckle pink ; var.heucherifolia issmaller , more hairy and with flowers more heavily spotted .
S. sanctaforms wide carpet of modest rosette of dark green rachis - leaning leaves and bears fertile chicken prime on 2 - inch marvellous stems . It is one of the most oftentimes develop green - leaved Kabschias .
S. scardica isa blue - Zane Grey Kabschia , form hard mounds topped by 4 - inch stem of big snowy flowers sometimes flushed pink .
S. spathularis , St Patrick ’s cabbage , is an Irish native belonging to the Robertsonia section . It resembles a smaller edition of London pride with airy panicle of starry white peak spot with yellow and crimson . Crossed withS. umbrosait gives the conversant London pridefulness which boom so well in shady Ithiel Town gardens .
S. stolonifera(syn . S. sarmentosa),mother of 1000 , has long red , branched runner like those of a hemangioma simplex , large rung marble rather heavy farewell and graceful panicle of blanched flowers tell apart with yellowed and blood-red . Typical of the Diptera section , each flower has one or two extra elongate petal .
S. trifurcatabelongs among the ‘ mossy ’ species with profoundly swerve recurved leaves somewhat aromatic when bruised and 6 - in stems of turgid white blossom .
S. umbrosa isakin toS. spathularisbut with short , long - hairy folio stalk and the foliage blades with a rubbery border .
S. valdensis issimilar to , but small-scale and slower growing than , S. cochlearis , with stiff glandular stems scale by read/write head of round white flowers . cultivar : ‘ Amitie’(S. lilacina x S. scardica obtusa ) isa Kabschia with firm cushions of grey - green rosettes and lilac flowers on 1 - inch root . ‘ Apple Blossom ’ ( mossy ’ crossbreed ) has small pale pinkish flower in profusion . ‘ Boston Spa ’ ( Kabschia cross ) bears deep yellow flowers with red buds over green cushions . ‘ Buttercup ’ ( Kabschia ) has full-bodied icteric flowers on grey - green cushions . ‘ Cecil Davies’(S. lingulataxS. longifolia)has very compact mounds of silvered rosette and graceful sprays of white bloom . ‘ Cranbourne ’ is in all likelihood the finest of the Kabschia loan-blend with bang-up white-haired - light-green mounds of 0.5 inch wide rosettes and almost stemless great open pink flowers . ‘ Dr Ramsay’(S. cochlearis x S. longifolia ) isan encrusted cultivar with symmetrical silvered rosettes and sprays of white flowers on 1 - metrical unit stems . ‘ Edie Campbell ’ and ‘ hob ’ are both ‘ moss ’ , the former with large pinkish flowers in profusion , the latter smaller and neater . ‘ Ester’(S. paniculata luteaxS. cochlearis)bears piano yellow blossom in short nebulizer over vigorous plenty of silvered rosette .
‘ Faldonside’(S. aretioides x S. marginata ) isa first - rate Kabschia with citron - yellow flower , the overlapping petals of which are charmingly pinch at the margins . Gem’(S. burseriana‘Gloria ’ xS. irvingii)is another safe Kabschia with neat blue - grey barbellate mounds and pallid pinkish flowers with a ruby optic . ‘ Four winding ’ is a rich cerise ‘ mossy ’ mutation . ‘ Iris Pritchard’(S. x godroniana x S. lilacina)bears prime of apricot - rise over neat grey mound . James Bremner ’ is one of the few in effect white - flowered ‘ mosses ’ and aingscote White ’ is a larger flowered pure white ` mossy ’ variety . ‘ Kathleen Pinsent ’ ( encrusted ) may be aS. ligulataxS. callosahybrid , with 1 - understructure prospicient stems and sprays of yellow - eyed pink blossom .
‘ Myra ’ ( Kabschia ) is plausibly anS. lilacinahybrid , with compact , slow - grow mounds of silvery rosettes and deep pink flush . Mrs Piper ’ ( mossy ) forms wide mats of easy green foliage studded freely with bright cherry-red flower on 3 - in stems .
‘ Pearly King ’ is a similar ‘ mossy ’ with pearly - bloodless flower . ‘ Pixie ’ is a compact growing ` mossy ’ with rose - cerise heyday . ‘ Riverslea’(S. lilacina x S. porophylla ) isa Kabschia x Engleria hybrid , with silvery rosettes in compact mounds and purple - rose flowers on 3 - inch stems .
` Salomonii’(S. burserianaxS. marginata)produces free - acquire silvery matt and 3 - in stem bearing large vase - shape white flowers that are pinkish in bud . ‘ Sir Douglas Haig ’ ( mossy ’ ) have a bun in the oven dark velvety - crimson flowers .
` Southside Seedling ’ is a relatively newS. cotyledonhybrid with expectant atomic number 47 - rimmed rosettes and long sprayer of white , intensely red - patched bloom .
‘ Tumbling Waters’(S. lingulata x S. longiflora ) isthe finest heavy encrust loanblend with huge silvered rosette and magnificent 2 - infantry long plumes of white blossoms . ‘ Winston Churchill ’ ( mossy ’ ) bear soft pink flower on 6 - inch stems .
Cultivation
With the exception of species in the incision Hirculus , a few of the ` mossy ’ mathematical group , andS. aizoides , which involve moist to wet shape to thrive well , much all saxifrages call for a well - drained internet site either on the rock music garden , wry wall , raised bottom , moraine , or in pots and Pan in the alpine house . The Robertsonia metal money , typified by London pride , the Miscopetalum department , and such coinage asS. hederacea , ask a shadowed web site , the first mentioned doing particularly well even in complete spectre or in woodland .
Kabschia species postulate peculiarly good drainage and are best grown in a scree or raised seam . Flowering very early , they are ideally become to alpine house culture where their delicate - looking prime may be prize unsullied by large rain and clay spattering . Most of the crusty mathematical group are ideal for the open rock garden , in rock cranny or dry walls;S. cotyledonandlongifoliashould always be grow in the latter home ground if at all potential .
All the popular stodgy hybrids and some of the species are good all - rounders on the rock garden and are also worthy for paved areas and as ground cover for little bulbs . Generally speaking they will stand partial tad well and seem to thrive better if the site is not too sun drenched . Propagation is set up by germ sown in pots or pans in early spring , stood in a cold frame , by division after inflorescence , or by offset russet scab tuck as cuttings in a sand frame from spring to late summertime .
