Creeping saxifrage is a mat-forming plant that has dense cushions of scalloped, velvety foliage and a dainty trailing habit, which makes it an ideal candidate for hanging baskets. It produces lots of plantlets that can easily be established as new plants for friends and family.
HEIGHT 6in (15cm), trailing to 24in (60cm)
SPREAD 16in (40cm)
FLOWERS Small, white
FOLIAGE Green, scalloped, purple-backed
LIGHT Filtered sun
TEMPERATURE 43–75°F (6–24°C)
CARE Easy
PLACE OF ORIGIN China, Japan
Creeping saxifrage offers a soft, dainty look but is nevertheless robust and easy to grow. It thrives in a room with moderate humidity and filtered sunlight. Some gardeners remove the spikes of flowers so the plant can put all its energy into growing foliage; others prefer to keep the small, white blooms. Plant in commercial potting mix in a hanging basket or place on a windowsill or shelf so that the runners that carry plantlets can freely trail. There’s no need to cut off the plantlets.
Creeping saxifrage enjoys damp roots, so water well in spring and summer. Reduce the watering in the winter months. Feed every other week during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer.
If you want to root the plantlets, it’s easiest to grow creeping saxifrage on a windowsill. Propagation is very straightforward: simply push plantlets from the runners (still attached to the parent plant) into a nearby, smaller pot of potting mix; hold them in place with paperclips. Once rooted (a few weeks), cut free from the parent.
PROBLEM SOLVING These fast-growing groundcover plants will soon suffer if positioned in a bright, south-facing room. They’re much better suited to an east- or west-facing aspect. If the plants look unhappy and unhealthy, repot in spring—they dislike being pot-bound. They’re susceptible to mealybugs, but this is quite rare.
Creeping saxifrage is best displayed in the home in a hanging basket or on a pedestal or a high shelf so that its elegant, purple-backed leaves are clearly visible. African violets and Cape primroses make great partners if you want to add flowering plants to a windowsill display.
Houseplants A–Z | CREEPING SAXIFRAGE
If you have a collection of hanging baskets or a shelf that has a little more room, then why not consider growing a variegated form of the creeping saxifrage, such as:
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