About
Saxifraga geum 'Dentata' is a perennial saxifrage in the family Saxifragaceae that carries its flowers on slender stalks above a low rosette of leaves. The blooms are five-petalled and appear from April to July. Plants form a compact basal mound with foliage often showing incised margins. Flowers rise clear of the leaves on naked stems, making the season of display easy to see.
About the genus
Saxifraga is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 473 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word saxifraga means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin saxum + frangere. It is usually thought to indicate a medicinal use for treatment of urinary calculi, rather than breaking rocks apart.
Wikipedia contributors, "Saxifraga", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Saxifraga
In the garden
Saxifraga geum 'Dentata' belongs to the large genus Saxifraga, commonly called saxifrages or rockfoils. Members of the genus are typically small perennials with leaves held close to the ground and flower heads raised on bare stalks; the flowers of many species have five petals and are carried above the foliage from April to July. Place Saxifraga geum 'Dentata' where the soil drains freely; rosette-forming saxifrages are adapted to conditions that do not remain waterlogged and often tolerate thinner, stony soils. A position that receives some sun but offers protection from the hottest afternoon exposure suits plants that retain compact growth and continuous flowering through the spring into midsummer. Remove any dead leaves and tidy old flower stems after flowering to keep the rosette clear and reduce the risk of rot. Its low habit and elevated flower stalks make this saxifrage well suited to rockeries, alpine troughs and crevices in walls, or the front edge of a perennial border where the flowering stems can be seen above neighbouring plants. Expect the floral display to provide spring-to-early-summer structure on a flat crown of foliage, rather than as a tall, upright feature.
More in the Saxifraga genus
- Saxifraga pennsylvanicaPennsylvania saxifrage
- Saxifraga × umbrosa of gardenstrue London pride
- Saxifraga 'Allendale Divine' (7)
- Saxifraga 'Portae' (x _fritschiana_) (8)
- Saxifraga 'Regina' (x _prossenii_) (7)