Let’s go on an adventure!
First stop: Botany. Connecting flight: Far East.
Like astilbe, elephant's ears and alum root and many others, I belong to the Saxifragaceae family. However, most people only know the name of my genus: Saxifraga – which is also much easier to say. It includes around 540 different species that can differ greatly both in shape and site requirements. Some of my relatives, for example, are particularly sun-loving alpine varieties. Others come from the shady forests of Asia, including myself.
Saxifraga cortusifolia is native to the forests of China, Japan and Korea.
Classification
Dancing Pixies
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Saxifraga
Section: Irregularis
Species: Saxifraga cortusifolia
Naming and origin
My German name, (Herbst) Steinbrech is a translation from Latin. Because Saxifraga means something like "breaking stones". What brings us to my next super talent, I often grow in nature on rocky mountain slopes, it looks like I'm breaking through the stone. Another nicknames of mine are Oktobersteinbrech or Oktoberle.
From gorgeous
foliage to cute deco.
my unique flower shape
Obviously, everything about me is unique, but my fancy flowers are especially striking. Each flower has five petals, one of which is significantly longer than the others. Just like a little prima ballerina, that is, Dancing Pixies. But you'll be even more fascinated by me when you look at me as a whole. My dense cluster of flowers make me a real eye catcher despite my delicate filigree habit. Also, my white, red and pink flower spikes are an exceptional highlight amidst the usual autumn colours.
Appealing to all
#therealqueenbee
Insects like to nibble on my flowers for a late snack
when all other plants have stopped flowering.
Happy to help!
Exciting leaf shapes –
beleaf me!
It may not sound sexy, but it is: my roundish to heart-shaped
leaves have seven lobes and are arranged in rosettes.
Their colour ranges from a shiny reddish shade to dark green.
The upper surfaces and undersides of my leaves often differ
in colour and they may be variegated, rimmed or dotted.
You'll never hear
me say "I need space".
Reaching 20 to 25 cm in height at flowering time,
I'm somewhat low-growing. My spread is also
20 to 25cm. I form a clump and my suckers don't
reach very far. This makes me a perfect match
in combinations with other plants.
Sassy, but classy:
always nice to look at
I am both an ornamental flowering plant and a foliage plant.
Or in less botanical terms: I add value to your garden, balcony
or room over a long period of time. Not just when I'm in flower.