Saxifraga sp

Perennial of the Saxifragaceae family, acquired under the label Saxifraga pedemontana subsp. pedemontana, identification that cannot be confirmed and is considered uncertain here. As a precaution, this individual is treated as an undetermined species in this collection.

The photographs show individuals with noticeably different appearances, which reinforces the doubt about their identity. The first forms a loose clump with green leaves divided into narrow segments, bearing long, slender, reddish flowering stems, slightly glandular, topped with white flowers with five petals and a clear yellow center. The second is distinctly more compact, with short and dense foliage, very glandular-pubescent, with white flowers with a yellow-green center carried closer to the foliage. This contrast in habit and leaf texture between the two individuals sold under the same label is significant in itself.

These two plants likely belong to the Saxifraga section (formerly Dactyloides), which includes saxifrages with soft rosettes and divided leaves, a group known to be difficult to determine precisely, particularly due to the frequency of natural and horticultural hybrids.

In cultivation, this type of saxifrage requires a very well-drained, poor mineral substrate, in full light, protected from stagnant winter moisture.