Pictures of saxifrages in the wild

[David Sellars]

Lesley:

The limestone outcrops at Col de Tende are only in one area.  We did not see any limestone cliffs far below.  I suspect that the fairly small area of limestone outcrops at Col de Tende limits the extent of Saxifraga callosa 'Bellardii.  They only seem to grow on the vertical limestone cliffs.

[Lesley Cox]

Funnily enough, I did, before my 1965 marriage, have vertical limestone cliffs in the garden. They were man-made, or more acurately, mother-and-daughter-made, about 6ft high and grew some super plants such as best plants I've ever seen of Omphalodes luciliae and many dianthus, Physoplexis comosa and small saxifragas. S. callosa though, no. At that time we lived on a farm with a limeworks down the road, and the back of the farm had great limestone outcrops which provided the stone for my first rock garden.

[Knud]

Two pictures of saxifragas growing in the Juvass area of Jotunheimen in central southern Norway, at elevation of 1850 m (about 6000'). The first is a S. cespitosa, it was growing in the soil-rich pockets of the polygon field formed in this area of permafrost. The second is S. oppositifolia, growing on a big, cracked rock, about 1 m (3') above the surrounding ground. And not just any rock, this is an ultrabasic, olivin-rich peridotite/serpentinite which erodes (apparently readily) to a serpentine soil, quite hostile for most plants. It is alkaline, but poor in calcium and potassium. The S. oppositifolia doesn't seem to mind this meager diet, - and it has the place to itself. The local name of the rock is "raudberg", red rock, indicating that it also contains iron.

Knud

[adrian young]

Great pics from David Sellars, pleased he found S.valdensis.
It is an outstanding species that should be grown more widely.
It is not difficult outside on Tufa if you give it winter wet protection.
The Tende callosa's should not be referred to as bellardii, that
confuses matters too much, S.callosa subsp. callosa var callosa
is the correct term, then add collected Col de Tende.

[astragalus]

Saxifraga caesia, growing in cliff crevices in the Dolomites.  Most of the crevices are so narrow they seem to be springing from solid rock.

[astragalus]

It was early in the bloom season in the Dolomites when we arrived so we were able to see Sax. oppositifolia in good bloom.  My favorite is the patch with  one little Soldanella minima in bloom at the edge.  Most of them were on rock and blooming along with Thlaspi rotundifolia and soldanellas.  I guess that makes them snow-melt plants.

[astragalus]

Also seen, Saxifraga aizoides.  The orange dots were quite pale, and there is a bonus on the left, Saxifraga caesia.  Both are growing along a limestone path in the Dolomites on the way to Lagazuoi.

[David Sellars]

Anne:

It is always nice to see Saxifraga oppositifolia in the mountains.  It flowers so much better in the Alps than in North America. Those are great pictures of Saxifraga caesia which I have not often seen in flower.  It is a classic Sax, good hard foliage and elegant flowers.