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Saxifraga caespitosa

Saxifraga caespitosa L.

Tufted Alpine Saxifrage

Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage Family)

Synonym(s): Saxifraga cespitosa

USDA Symbol: SACA50

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), GL (N)

This species is extremely variable, due in part to local ecological conditions. High elevation, exposed plants are compact and short-stemmed. Low elevation or sheltered plants tend to be longer stemmed and more loosely branched. Generally this is a tufted plant with leaves tightly bundled in small whorls. The leaves are wedge-shaped with three divisions at the tips. One to several white, five-petaled flowers top the branch ends.

Only the leaves on the lower stem are evergreen, persisting for several years.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 12 inches tall, often shorter.
Fruit: Brown

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Bloom Notes: Petals white, proximally greenish to yellowish tinged.

Distribution

USA: AK , AZ , CA , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , OR , UT , WA , WY
Canada: BC , NT
Native Distribution: Circumboreal, s. from AK in the mts. to n.w. OR & in the Rockies from c. ID & MT to NM & AZ
Native Habitat: Ciffs; rock crevices; rocky slopes

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Rocky soils.

Propagation

Description: Best grown from seed.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:		FAC	FAC			FACU				FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 63 - Pacific Northwest Wildflowers (2020) Turner Photographics
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Saxifraga caespitosa in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Saxifraga caespitosa in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Saxifraga caespitosa

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-24
Research By: TWC Staff

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