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Rusty Saxifrage

Micranthes ferruginea

Also called Alaska Saxifrage, Russethair Saxifrage, Russet Haired Saxifrage, Rusty Hair Saxifrage

Rusty Saxifrage
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0

Rusty saxifrage is a small perennial alpine herb from western North America, grown for its neat basal rosette and white flowers. It needs cool, moist, well-drained conditions and does best in rocky or gritty soil.

Family
Saxifragaceae (Saxifrag family)
Grows as
Bulb, Perennial
Light
Part shade
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist in the growing season and avoid waterlogging in winter.
Soil
Gritty, well-drained mix with added grit or rock; rich in organic matter.
Temperature
5–20 °C; tolerates hard frost well once dormant.
How easy
Moderate
Native range
Alaska to W. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate

About

Micranthes ferruginea is a species of flowering plant known by the common names russethair saxifrage and rusty saxifrage. It is native to western North America from Alaska and northwestern Canada to northern California to Wyoming, where it can be found in moist, rocky habitat in mountainous areas. It is a perennial herb growing from a caudex and rhizome system and producing a basal rosette of leaves. Each leaf is up to 6 centimeters long, thick and fleshy with large teeth along the edges. The inflorescence arises on a slender, hairy peduncle up to 40 centimeters tall. Thin branches bear flowers and reproductive bulbils. Each flower has spade-shaped white petals, the upper ones dotted with gold.

Other Micranthes plants

Sierra Saxifrage · Bud Saxifrage · California Saxifrage · Hawkweed Leaved Saxifrage · Howell's Saxifrage · Wholeleaf Saxifrage · Micranthes mertensiana · Branch Lettuce · Nelson's saxifrage · Peak Saxifrage · Alpine Saxifrage · Alberta Saxifrage

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Micranthes ferruginea by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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