Content
Indoor saxifrage is actually a synonym for the name of only one species out of 440 members of the family. All these herbs grow on rocky soil, and often in rock crevices. This is how they got their name. A significant number of species are used in gardening. But usually all these plants are used in landscape design, where they look most advantageous. And only Saxifraga is grown as a house flower.
Types of saxifrage for growing at home
Of the nearly five thousand species of saxifrage, only three are the most popular:
- braided;
- pyramidal, or cotyledon;
- Arends hybrids.
The popularity of wicker saxifrage as a houseplant is explained by its ease of care and ease of propagation. But it is quite capable of withstanding frosts down to -25 °C. If desired, you can place it in the garden. Like other types of saxifrage.
Saxifraga
Latin name: Saxifraga stolonifera.But this perennial flowering herb has other names, sometimes funny:
- strawberry saxifrage;
- Aaron's beard;
- mother of thousands (applies to many unrelated plant species);
- wandering sailor;
- wandering Jew;
- strawberry begonia;
- strawberry geranium.
At the same time, Saxifraga has nothing to do with either begonias or geraniums. And the name “mother of thousands” was obviously given for the ability to produce many stolon-like shoots - “tendrils”.
The original habitat of this species covers China, Japan and Korea. Under natural conditions, the flower grows in relatively damp areas:
- forests;
- meadows;
- thickets of bushes.
Also found on rocks. The altitude of the grass habitat is 400-4500 m above sea level.
As an ornamental plant, indoor saxifrage was introduced into the temperate regions of Eurasia and North America, where it took root well in the wild. It is grown all over the world as a house flower.
The height of the grass is 10-20 cm. The rosette leaves are round in shape with small but wide teeth on the edges. Like the reddish petiole, they are covered with bristles. Color can vary greatly. There are photos of Saxifraga with leaves:
- plain, dark green;
- dark green with light veins, the most common option;
- light green with red areas and light veins.
The reverse side of the leaves is reddish.
The loose paniculate inflorescence consists of 7-60 five-petaled small flowers. Their appearance is very characteristic: the 2 lower petals are much longer than the 3 upper ones. Flowering time is May-August.
This species reproduces mainly with the help of stolons - “tendrils”. That is, the grass actually clones itself. The length of the stolons is up to 21 cm. New clones take root close to the mother plant. Due to this, saxifrage is often used in landscape design as a ground cover plant.
Very delicate and pleasant individual flowers seem inconspicuous when collected in inflorescences
Saxifraga Cotyledon
Cotyledon is a tracing paper from the Latin name Saxifraga cotyledon. In Russian, this species is better called pyramidal saxifrage. Origin: mountains in Europe, but not the Alps. More precisely, only part of them is included in the range of this plant. It prefers cold climates, so it grows in “Arctic” regions:
- Norway;
- Pyrenees;
- Iceland;
- Western Alps.
Although the Pyrenees Mountains are usually associated with a hot climate, it all depends on the altitude.
Externally, in the photograph, the rosette leaves of Saxifraga pyramidalis and succulents from the Crassulaceae family are very similar. No wonder. Both families belong to the order Saxifragaceae. But Saxifraga Cotyledon is not a succulent.
The height of the rosette leaves is about 20 cm. The flowering stem reaches 60 cm. It blooms in May-June. The panicles of white flowers are shaped like pyramids or, rather, cones.
This species is often used to decorate alpine slides and rockeries. But as an indoor flower, pyramidal saxifrage is not even seen in the photo. This is due to its need for very poor soil, the height of the peduncle and its not very attractive appearance in a pot. At home, succulents look more interesting.And pyramidal saxifrage looks more advantageous on the “rock” in the garden.
Cotyledon is one of Norway's two national colors.
Saxifraga Arends
This is a group of complex hybrids of the genus Saxifraga. The breeding of varieties is associated with the German breeder Georg Adalbert Arends. Varieties differ in leaf shape and petal color.
General characteristics of hybrids:
- perennial;
- herbaceous;
- evergreen;
- the leaves are collected in dense small rosettes.
But the shape of the leaves may vary. Although they are usually lobed and more or less dissected. The petioles are wide and flat. The surface is glossy.
The flowering time of one plant is about a month. In central Russia, Arends saxifrage blooms in April-June.
Hybrids are popular as garden plants. Landscape designers willingly decorate alpine slides with them. But as a houseplant, Arends' saxifrage is rare.
Rosettes of leaves tightly pressed together resemble thickets of moss, hence the English name “mossy saxifrage.”
Features of reproduction
In most cases, saxifrage reproduces by seeds. Preservation of germination for three years and a high percentage of germination make this method a good way to acquire a flower if it is not possible to obtain seedlings.
In indoor conditions, saxifrage is propagated not only by seeds, but also by dividing bushes. Every year the plant produces new shoots. After the mother specimen has flowered, the “young plants” are carefully separated and rooted in a shaded place.
But the “mother of thousands” has a more profitable method.She grows long thin shoots on which her descendant clones appear. If indoor saxifrage grows in the garden, and the “cubs” have the opportunity to take root, the plant acts as a ground cover. At home it is an ampelous flower. And it is not leaves or stems hanging down from the pot, but stolons with new clones that do not have the opportunity to take root. Reproduction by rosettes is so successful that other methods are no longer used for indoor saxifrage.
Carrying out the procedure using clones is very easy. It is enough to place the pot on a suitable surface and place it around the container for young plants. After this, each tendril is placed one at a time in a new pot and lightly sprinkled with earth. The bottom of the socket should be pressed firmly against the wet ground. After a few days, the clones take root and the stolon is trimmed.
Roots often form on rosettes of indoor saxifrage hanging in the air. In this case, you don’t even need to wait for rooting to trim the shoot. You can immediately carefully plant the new plant in another pot.
Usually, when propagating, the stolon is cut off immediately, since clones take root well even without “insurance”
Care after purchase
The newly acquired indoor saxifrage is placed in partial shade. Stores do not always monitor soil moisture, so dry substrate must be moistened. Transplantation is carried out if necessary and no earlier than 7 days after purchase. At the same time, popular and convenient transshipment cannot be done. Before planting in a new container, the saxifrage roots are completely cleared of old soil.
The rules for planting and caring for saxifrage at home after an acclimatization period also have their own characteristics. In order for a plant to develop well, it needs to create conditions similar to natural ones.
Rules for caring for saxifrage at home
When grown in the garden, saxifrage does not require special care. These are very unpretentious plants, requiring only the absence of direct sunlight. Seedlings are planted in shallow holes dug at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Saxifraga prefers slightly alkaline, well-drained soil. To obtain soil of the required quality, add to it:
- gravel;
- sand;
- turf;
- slaked lime.
Caring for Saxifraga at home is not difficult, but indoor flowers have their own nuances. Since this is originally a wild plant, when growing saxifrage at home you need to follow certain rules.
Microclimate
In indoor conditions, saxifrage grows well on windows on the north side. But, like most flowers, they prefer the west or east. They cannot be grown on the side of the apartment that faces south.
During growth, the optimal temperature for saxifrage is 20-25 °C. In winter, it is reduced to 12-15 °C. But in an apartment it is often impossible to maintain the temperature regime, and in winter it is too warm for indoor saxifrage.In this case, you need to provide the flower with additional lighting. Without it, the plant's stolons will become very elongated.
In indoor conditions, it is better not to keep saxifrage on the windowsill, providing it with a semi-shaded place. The brighter the light, the paler the leaves of the flower. If the lighting is too strong, they will not show all their beauty.
But when there is a lack of light, the indoor saxifrage does not elongate its stolons. Accordingly, you can determine what the plant needs and create the most favorable living conditions for it.
Saxifraga has one peculiarity: the higher the air humidity, the more beautiful its leaves. In addition, the main flower pests – spider mites and scale insects – are very fond of dry air. You can increase the humidity by spraying the flower with a spray bottle. But you should not achieve results by frequent watering. Saxifragas do not like waterlogged soil.
Watering schedule
Both in nature and indoors, saxifrage prefers dried soil. This does not mean that they do not need to be watered. But the summer watering schedule is drawn up based on the presence of moisture in the soil: the top layer should be dry. You need to be especially careful in winter. During this period, only light soil moisture is maintained, and the plants are watered as rarely as possible.
If moisture lingers in the rosette, the saxifrage will rot due to the development of a fungal disease.
Any universal fertilizer is suitable for saxifrage, but it is better to choose one that is intended for indoor plants
Feeding
Since this grass is an evergreen, it needs feeding all year round.If you do not provide indoor saxifrage with fertilizers, its stolons become greatly elongated and lose their decorative properties. In winter, liquid fertilizers are “dispensed” once a month. During the growing season and flowering, that is, from spring to autumn, once every two weeks.
When kept indoors, it is better to underfeed the saxifrage. It is undesirable to use nitrogen fertilizers, as they will provoke leaf growth. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are more beneficial for this flower.
Transfer rules
When cultivated in the garden, saxifrage does not require replanting. But if it grows in an indoor pot, it periodically needs a larger container. The flower must be replanted very carefully so as not to damage the stolons and leaves. It's better to do it together. A second person is needed to support the hanging antennae with new rosettes.
When to replant
Saxifraga can grow in one container until roots emerge in large quantities through the drainage holes of the pot. When this sign appears, indoor saxifrage is transplanted into a larger container.
The timing of transplantation does not matter when kept indoors, but it is better to do this after flowering and before the dormant period. Although, if necessary, this can be done even during the growing season.
Preparing the container and soil
The container should be shallow but wide. A thick layer of drainage material is placed at the bottom:
- pebbles;
- expanded clay;
- broken bricks;
- crushed stone
The flower is undemanding to the soil. The main thing for him is that the soil drains water well. As a substrate, a regular mixture for indoor plants, which you can buy in a store, is suitable.
But you can make the soil yourself. For this you will need:
- leaf soil 40%;
- non-acidic peat 20%;
- coarse sand and finely crushed stones 20%;
- turf land 20%.
All components are mixed and the pots are filled so that there is still room for water. Plants are planted simultaneously with filling the containers with soil.
Rocky, well-permeable soil is optimal for indoor and garden saxifrage
Transplant algorithm
Indoor saxifrage is replanted in the “old-fashioned” way, getting rid of the old soil. It is best to carefully remove the flower along with the earthen lump and place it in a basin of water so that the plant is in the air. The wet soil will fall to the bottom without damaging the roots.
After this, the root system is inspected and dead and rotten parts are removed. Next, the roots are kept for some time in a solution that destroys parasites and fungi.
After this, the saxifrage is planted in a prepared container, after carefully straightening the roots. And sprinkle the flower with soil so that the root collar is flush with the ground. Water the soil and place the pot in a permanent place.
Diseases and pests
Indoor flowers are not afraid of many garden pests that live in the ground. Usually the soil in pots is disinfected from eggs and larvae of insects and nematodes. But mealybugs and nematodes can be accidentally introduced when buying a new flower in a store or as a result of making your own substrate. Aphids, like flying insects, manage without outside help. And the spider mite moves through the air, clinging to the web.It can easily fly even into an apartment located high above the ground.
Spider mites are a pest that is difficult to get rid of even with the help of a potent acaricide.
The tick prefers dry air. It is easier to prevent its appearance than to harass the pest later. For prevention, you need to monitor the air humidity in the apartment. Often indoor flowers are sprayed with a spray bottle. There are inexpensive humidifiers on the market. They will relieve the owner from the problems of manually spraying plants.
Scale insects are large insects, and on many indoor plants they can be easily destroyed by hand. But in saxifrage they often “clump” at the base of rosette leaves. Removing pests from there manually means damaging the flower. To get rid of scale insects, it is recommended to use anticoccidal drugs.
Among fungal diseases, indoor saxifrage often suffers from root rot and powdery mildew. Medicines containing copper help well against the latter. Root rot is almost incurable. It is much easier to cut shoots with young plants from the mother bush and root the clones. An adult saxifrage will have to be thrown away.
To prevent root rot, you need to make sure that the soil in the pot is not too wet. When replanting, do not bury the root collar into the soil. Also, when watering, water should not get into the base of the root rosette. Watering is always carried out under the leaves.
Conclusion
Indoor saxifrage is a very unpretentious flower. If you follow a minimum of care rules, it will delight the owner not only with the inflorescence, but also with the mass of “babies” formed at the ends of the stolon-like shoots.
