Other Names:  Mossy Saxifrage, Rockrose

Group/Class:  Rocco Series

Description:

An easy to care for mounded variety that is covered with bright red flowers in early spring; looks great cascading over walls, or as a rock garden accent; this hybrid is also good in the garden with plenty of humus that wont dry out

Ornamental Features

Rocco Red Saxifrage has cherry red star-shaped flowers with yellow eyes at the ends of the stems from mid spring to early summer. Its needle-like leaves remain emerald green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Rocco Red Saxifrage is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting bees and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Rocco Red Saxifrage is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Rocco Red Saxifrage will grow to be only 3 inches tall at maturity extending to 5 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 8 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Rocco Red Saxifrage is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.