Saxifraga / saxifraga

Refers to the family of saxifrage. Fatherland - the highlands of East Asia.

General description: This ampel plant can not be confused with any other, thanks to unusual stems-stolons, like thin ropes, at the ends of which grow daughter sockets of leaves. Leaves of saxifrage are pubescent, have a rounded shape, are assembled into a basal rosette. Mature saxifrage in spring blossom in small whitish flowers.

Two forms are best known:

Saxifraga stolonifera (saxifraga stucco). Her leaves are olive-green, with silver veins. She is rather unpretentious.

Saxifraga stolonifera tricolor with a white and pink stripe on the margin of the leaf and the red underside is more effective, but also more capricious and grows slower.

Recommendations for the care of the plant Sturgeon:

Illumination : Needs bright, but diffused light.

Irrigation regime : Abundant during growth, moderate in winter.

Humidity : Needs frequent spraying, especially in summer.

For summer it is better to place on a fresh atmosphere (in a park or on a balcony), in a room protected from wind and from direct sunlight.

Temperature regime : Cool, up to 20 ° C in summer, in winter optimum 10-12 ° C, minimum 6 ° C.

Soil : Proper benign drainage is required. It is allowed to add fine gravel or expanded clay.

Recommended soil mishmash: 1 share of sod land, 1 share of leaf land, 1 share of humus and 1 share of sand.

During the growth period, it needs regular fertilizing once every 2 weeks with complex fertilizers for ornamental-deciduous plants.

Breeding : The daughter sockets of saxifrage are easily rooted. They need to be sprinkled with earth, then cut off the stolons later. Just sow the seeds.

Transplantation : In the spring, annually.

Pests : Saxifrages are sometimes affected by aphids (they form sticky excretions on the tips of shoots, buds), spider mite (in a dry atmosphere, leaves and stems are braided with cobwebs), mealybug.

In these cases, the plant must be sprayed with insecticide solutions (actinic, decis, phytoverm, etc.) right up to the completed cure.

Saxifraga