Saxifraga fortunei Gokka

Saxifraga fortunei 'Gokka' is a delicate perennial for cool shade, producing numerous raspberry pink flowers in late summer and autumn that hang from long, airy stems. This sculptural plant is well suited to shady rockeries and woodlands, in moist but well-drained substrate with an acidic tendency. It brings welcome colours at a time when the garden is falling asleep. It also looks beautiful in containers.

Saxifraga fortunei belongs to the Saxifragaceae family, a large botanical family that also includes rodgersia, astilbes, heuchera, and bergenia. Native to Japan, this plant grows in damp woodlands, in moss or on dripping rocks near fast-flowing streams. It forms a small compact clump of lobed leaves, often of a beautiful bright green. The leaves are thick and shiny, very similar to a succulent plant. Between September and November, it bears branched panicles of intriguing, asymmetrical flowers, composed of 3 short petals at the top of the flower, and 2 much longer ones at the lower part. Carried well above the foliage, these elegant inflorescences bring an unmistakable Japanese charm.

The 'Gokka' variety is characterised by raspberry pink flowers, sometimes tending towards red. The clump will reach about 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) in height when in flower, with a spread of 25cm (10in).

Beautiful and delicate, Saxifraga 'Gokka' is quite demanding in terms of its growing conditions. It requires acidic (lime-free), humus-rich, flexible and perfectly drained soil. It is extremely sensitive to root rot in wet soil during winter. Avoid covering the base with dead leaves, which could retain too much moisture. However, the substrate should not dry out during the summer either, as this leads to rapid wilting of the plant and a noticeable decrease in autumn flowering. We do not recommend attempting to grow this species in heavy and clayey soil. Although it is hardy to -15°C (5°F), the plant is quite sensitive to late frosts, which can seriously damage its young foliage. Therefore, it is ideal to place your saxifrage in dense woodland, in shade or partial shade, under the cover of bushes that will protect it from these frosts. It also tolerates the proximity of not too powerful roots, as long as the soil does not dry out.

Saxifraga 'Gokka' will also work wonders in the foreground of a Japanese-style shady rockery, alongside small ferns like Athyrium niponicum 'Red Beauty', Athyrium otophorum var. okanum, or the grass Hakonechloa macra, all at the base of a Japanese maple like Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'. It is also a beautiful accent plant used in containers on a sheltered patio.