Nature is wise and often gives plants truly amazing qualities that enable them to survive in the most difficult conditions. A clear example is the saxifrage - an extensive genus of herbaceous one-, two- or perennial plants of the same family.
It unites nearly 400 species, distributed over vast territories of temperate latitudes of the Euro-Asian continent, in Central America and the mountain tropics of Africa. The name of the genus speaks of the incredible vitality and ability of the plant to comfortably use the most scarce natural resources. Let's talk about this amazing grass, its types, features of cultivation and proper care for it.
Description
Despite the abundance of species, all saxifrages are rhizome herbaceous plants, the height of which, depending on where they grow, varies from 5 to 70 cm, forming ground covers of various densities. Their leaves, various in shape and structure, are collected in a basal rosette. A feature of the genus is the ability of leaves of many species to accumulate lime, which is why their color (often along the edge) acquires a noticeable gray tint. The leaves are surrounded by sturdy 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. Fruit - a box with small ripened seeds.
Types of saxifrage, flowers highly hardy, diverse. Presenting their scientific classification does not make sense, we only note the fact that there are garden plants that adorn the summer cottage interior for a whole season, and indoor options that successfully fit into a warm home environment.
Plant features
Saxifrages are characterized by an accelerated rhythm of the passage of all phases of development - from the appearance of the first young leaves to the ripening of seeds. Saxifrage flowers are pollinated by insects that are attracted to nectar. Some species are self-pollinated. 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 arranging rock gardens or when sodding the soil in near-stem circles of fruit trees. High frost resistance is another excellent quality of the plant.
Saxifrage Flower: Planting and Care
Many representatives of the Kamnelomkov family were introduced into the culture, the bulk of which are the decorative species used in the landscape gardening. As a rule, these are ground cover plants, abundant and beautifully flowering. The saxifrage is unpretentious, but to increase the decorativeness of the plant, it is worth listening to some of the rules of agricultural technology necessary for its qualitative development.
Typically, the cultivation of these crops does not cause difficulties, apparently, plain grass contains a patrimonial memory that adapts it to any growing conditions. The plant successfully survives on medium-fertile soils, but needs limestone, therefore, when preparing the site for planting, the soil is lime. Comfort for the plant will be created by additives such as gravel, peat, coarse river sand and high-quality humus. The composition of the soil does not matter, saxifrage flowers (perennial and annuals) appear regardless of the soil structure of which they live. Equally successfully they grow on clay, loam and sandy loam.
It’s not worth planting a saxifrage on top of an alpine hill, since this arrangement of the plant involves 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 to arrange a rockery in shady places.
Garden care
Initially a mountain plant, saxifrage successfully grows in crevices of rocks, natural or artificially created. When arranging alpine hills, saxifrage bushes spread a stony component that helps to preserve moisture and protects the roots from scorching sunlight. When erecting a rock garden, it is important to remember the need for drainage, since stagnation of water is fatal for a plant - it is easier for it to endure short-term drying out than constant waterlogging. But in dry periods, additional watering is necessary for a crop such as saxifrage.
A garden flower with regular excessive irrigation lays the formation of rot, which is almost impossible to fight. In a similar situation, the degree of hydration is adjusted, and cuttings are cut from the healthy parts of the damaged bush and root them.
Every month, 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, and after a while it is again covered with young foliage.
Breeding
Pollinated saxifrage flowers produce many small black seeds, the germination of which is very high - 86%. Sown in light soil, they germinate after 5-7 days at an air temperature of 18-20 ° C. With the appearance of 2-3 leaves, the seedlings dive, they are planted in open ground in the middle of summer, observing the intervals between plants of 15-20 cm. Perennial saxifrage bloom already next summer.
Vegetative propagation also successfully passes - by cuttings, layering or division of the rhizome. Sliced in July, the cuttings are rooted in boxes, arranged for a winter in a cool basement, 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. Division of the bush is carried out after flowering, separating young rosettes with a piece of rhizome from the uterine plant. They successfully take root and winter without shelter.
At one place in the garden, the saxifrage productively grows for 5-6 years, and then loses its compactness and requires updating of plantings.
Growing room saxifrage
Along with garden forms of saxifrage, there are many crops that are excellently adapted for growing at home.
The most popular types for indoor breeding are:
- The saxifrage is wattled (offspring) grown as an ampelous culture. Outlets planted in a container release stolons on which new outlets are formed.
- Tricolor.
- Harvest Moon.
- Cotyledon, resembling succulents.
- Arends (mossy).
Preferences
Saxifrage flower, the planting and care of which in an urban apartment is simple, prefers neutral soils, only cotyledon develops well on soils with an acid reaction.
The plant needs weakly nutritious, humus soil, for example, clay-sod composition. The saxifrage pot needs a shallow one, since the root system of the plant is superficial. At the bottom of the tank lay out drainage, which can be expanded clay, screenings, even pieces of polystyrene foam.
Saxifrage is propagated by seeds, rosettes from the uterine bush or cuttings.
Home Care
The saxifrage (room flower) is photophilous, like its garden counterparts, but the lighting should be scattered, exposure to direct sunlight significantly reduces the decorativeness of the culture. Contain containers with plants at the windows of the western or eastern side. Throughout the year, the plant is watered moderately and regularly. They are useful for spraying plants, especially in the hot season or in dry air in the winter, when central heating radiators work.
Comfortable air temperature for home saxifrage is 20-25˚. With the onset of winter, culture enters a period of rest. The temperature in the room should be reduced to 12-15 ° C, the intensity of irrigation should be slightly reduced.
Transplants and top dressing
Spring transplants are necessary for the plant only when the pot has become noticeably cramped, and the roots are completely braided by an earthen lump. Each time, saxifrage flowers are transplanted into a container whose diameter is 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. Ceramics are considered the best material for a culture container.
Saxifrages are fed year-round, even in a calm winter, otherwise the stems begin to lengthen and lose their beauty and decorativeness. In winter, the plant is fertilized with solutions of flower dressing every month, and from the beginning of spring to late autumn - every 2 weeks. The culture is afraid of overfeeding, therefore, they dissolve the drug in a double rate of water, recommended in the annotation. Note that nitrogen fertilizers are not used, since they stimulate the growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering.