Saxifraga arendsii Pixie White

Saxifraga x arendsii 'Pixie White' is a white-flowered version of the 'Pixie' variety. This small, mossy and prostrate plant, also known as Turkish carpet, slowly but surely forms a very dense, dark green, evergreen cushion. In spring, it is covered with a multitude of very small, infinitely light white flowers. A little gem for well-maintained rockeries, in partial shade, this saxifrage loves crevices and spaces between slabs, provided it finds well-moist soil.

The 'Pixie White' saxifrage is one of the many cultivars of Saxifraga x arendsii, which is itself a hybrid. It belongs to the Saxifragaceae family, which includes heucheras and astilbes, plants also appreciated for their delicate flowering. The growth rate of this small perennial is quite slow. Its adult size will not exceed 5cm (2in) in height, 15cm (6in) in flower. The 'Pixie White' mossy saxifrage slowly spreads over time, usually reaching about 20cm (8in) in diameter. The foliage is composed of small rosettes of finely cut leaves, with a beautiful shiny moss-green colour. The flowering takes place in May-June, in the form of small, simple and white flowers, delicately scented and borne on slender stems. 

The 'Pixie White' mossy saxifrage can be used to line paths and borders, but can also be used for larger areas. For example, it will thrive very well on banks where grass is scarce. It can also replace moss that invades a shaded end of the lawn: this area can be dug out to plant a carpet of saxifrages. For the same reason, this plant will serve as ground cover between shrubs and trees. A wonderful hiding place, it adapts without any difficulty to the poorest sandy soil or shady locations. It proves to be very valuable in the most unfavourable areas of the garden, such as in the shade, in the north. Use saxifrage to conceal a portion of soil where stones or construction waste have been buried. It also works well in a large container, for example.

These plants often grow in rock crevices and it was believed that they were able to break them to make their way towards the light. It was long believed that this plant has medicinal properties and could eliminate kidney stones. In the family of rockery plants, the genus "saxifraga" constitutes a particular category comprising more than 450 species. Saxifrages can reach the highest peaks of the highest mountains. In these inhospitable places, nature has created magicians of survival.