Saxifraga x urbium 'Variegata'

LONDON PRIDE SAXIFRAGES
syn. 'Aureopunctata', 'Variegata Aurea'
Family: Saxifragaceae Pronounced: saks-if-FRAG-uh ur-BEE-um

 

Quick Jumps

Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes

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GROWING GUIDE

Origin: Garden.
Plant Group: Perennial.
Hardiness: Sunset zones: 2-7, 14-17.
USDA zones: 6-7, 8 in the mild maritime Pacific Northwest.
Heat zones: 7-6.
Mature size: Height: 12 inches (with flowers) (30 cm).
Flowering period: April through June.
Flowering attributes: Loose panicles of white flowers, each adorned with dots of red and yellow, are delicately arranged on a stem that rises from the rosette center.
Leaf attributes: Spoon-shaped, mid-green leaves, each has its own unique pattern of random splashes of yellow. These leaves are a distinctive feature of the saxifrage.
Growth habit: Spreading.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Average to moist, well-drained soil.
Feeding: Fertilize with a complete organic fertilizer in spring.
Propagation Methods: Divide rosettes in spring or autumn.
Pruning Methods: Cut back flowering stems to rosette when flowers fade.

 

Rainy Side Notes

Many years ago, a gardener gave me a tiny piece of this wonderful perennial with fantastic foliage. It followed me from one garden to the next, where it now grows on a rock wall and next to my front steps. I've noted that some resources say it spreads vigorously, which gives the impression that it's a thug. Not so, although it does spread; it's at a slow pace, and if it goes too far, it is easy to pull the errant rosettes. Push the rosettes into the soil, and they will root readily.

This saxifrage is perfectly suited to our mild climate. The ones that thrive in my garden are those that are in partial-to-full shade, possibly due to the area's ability to retain moisture. They are not fans of dry soil, but with a little extra care, such as supplemental watering during our summer drought, they adapt and thrive.

Debbie Teashon
Photographed in author's garden.