Saxifrage family. Distributed in East Asia in the highlands. Saxifrage grows between stones, crevices of rocks. A fairly well-known and unpretentious plant that is grown as an ampelee.
- Saxifrage Saxifraga stolonifera is a herbaceous plant with leaves collected in a basal rosette. The leaves are rounded, about 5-7 cm in diameter, with a serrated margin, pubescent on both sides. The color of the leaves is dark green, with light stripes along the veins, the underside of the leaf is lighter with interspersed reddish dots. The saxifrage forms long whorls of whiskers, at the end of which daughter rosettes are formed. Forms an inflorescence panicle of small nondescript white-pink flowers. It blooms in spring at the age of 2-3 years. A funny folk name for this species is' babkin gossip '.
The care of Stonelomka
Temperature: Moderate in summer, preferably no higher than 26 ° C, so non-hot northern or eastern windows are better suited than western ones. In winter they are kept in a cool place, at a temperature of about 12-14 ° C. Winter minimum 6 ° С. You can leave a saxifrage at normal room temperature, but over the winter it stretches out, the leaves grind. Then in the spring it is better to cut it and re-root it.
Lighting: Saxifrage is quite photophilous, although many florists consider it a shade-tolerant plant, nevertheless, you need to choose a bright place for it, in summer with protection from direct sunlight, from November to the end of February shading is not required.
Watering: Abundant from spring to autumn - the soil should be slightly moist all the time in the depths of the pot, but the top layer of the earth should have time to dry out by the next watering. In winter, watering is moderate or limited, depending on the temperature of the content.
Fertilizer: From March to September, they are fed with fertilizer for indoor deciduous plants every two weeks.
Air humidity: Saxifrage leaves should be sprayed periodically, both for hygienic purposes and for moisturizing. If the room is warm in winter, and the humidity is below 50%, then they are sprayed daily.
Transplantation: Every year in spring in fresh soil, consisting of 1 part of turf, 1 part of leaf, 1 part of humus and 1 part of fine gravel, be sure to add a handful of vermiculite. You can plant the saxifrage in the ground from the shop too, but for better porosity also add vermiculite, about a quarter of the volume of the pot. Drainage is needed if the holes at the bottom of the pot are not large enough or there are few of them. Soil acidity is within 5.5-6.5.
Reproduction
Daughter rosettes, cuttings and seeds. Vegetatively, saxifrage reproduces very well at almost any time of the year. Saxifrage seeds for home cultivation are best sown in mini-tiles, in a mixture of universal peat soil and vermiculite in equal parts. Germination at a temperature of 18-23 ° C, shoots appear after 15-20 days. You can sow at any time of the year. Small seeds do not need to be sprinkled with earth, you just need to sprinkle from the spray bottle, they themselves will settle into the soil. You need to dive seedlings when at least two pairs of real leaves appear.
Seeds of garden saxifrages can be sown in spring after the threat of frost has passed.