Saxifraga

What does Saxifraga look like?

Saxifraga plants are mostly small and grow close to the ground, often forming leafy mats or rosettes. Their leaves can be notched, sometimes fleshy or covered in fine hairs. The flower stalks rise above the leaves and carry clusters or single blooms. Each flower is shaped like a star, with five petals and five sepals. While white is the most common color, some species produce red or yellow flowers. These plants are usually found in rocky or alpine places, but some grow in damp meadows.

Where does Saxifraga come from?

The genus Saxifraga is native to cold and mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in arctic and alpine zones. Many species thrive in high elevations, such as the Alps and the Himalayas, and some even grow in glacial areas. The name 'Saxifraga' comes from Latin, meaning 'stone-breaker', which refers to an old belief about its use for treating kidney stones rather than its ability to split rocks. Over time, the group has been studied and reorganized, with some former members now placed in other genera.

When and how Saxifraga blooms

Saxifraga species bloom at different times depending on their habitat, often in spring or early summer in cold climates. They prefer neutral to alkaline soils and are commonly grown from seed or by dividing mature plants. Gardeners often use them in rock gardens or as groundcover, where their compact growth and tolerance for cool weather make them popular. Some hybrids, like London pride, are especially valued for ornamental use.

How Saxifraga is used

People grow saxifrages mainly for their decorative value in gardens, especially in rockeries and alpine plantings. Some species, such as creeping saxifrage, are eaten in East Asia, and purple saxifrage flowers are consumed in Canada. The leaves and stems of certain types are brewed as tea, and a few are used in traditional remedies. Purple saxifrage and creeping saxifrage serve as floral emblems for regions in Canada, Northern Ireland, and Japan.

Kinds of Saxifraga

There are nearly 500 recognized species and many hybrids in the Saxifraga genus. Notable examples include purple saxifrage (S. oppositifolia), popular in arctic regions, and creeping saxifrage (S. stolonifera), used as food in East Asia. London pride (S. × urbium) is a well-known garden hybrid. The genus is divided into several sections based on plant features, and some former members, like Micranthes, are now treated as separate genera.

What Saxifraga means

Saxifrages have symbolic value in several places. Purple saxifrage is the official flower of Nunavut in Canada and County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, while a form of creeping saxifrage represents Tsukuba in Japan. The plants are also noted for their role in alpine and arctic ecosystems. In 2026, one species, Saxifraga candelabrum, was confirmed to be carnivorous, able to absorb nutrients from insects.

Where Saxifraga is used and seen

Arctic–Alpine Botanic GardenA botanic garden in Tromsø for Arctic and mountain plants from around the world

Questions people ask about Saxifraga

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• USDA Plants DatabaseUS Department of Agriculture, Article
• Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
• Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
• Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database

• Saxifraga on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data