Saxifraga granulata Flore Pleno

Saxifraga granulata 'Flore Pleno' is a very pretty form of bulbous saxifrage that forms colonies in meadows, woods, and pastures. This bulbous plant produces floral stems in spring adorned with bright, charming, white double flowers. They emerge from a rosette of round and hairy leaves that remain decorative in winter. In the garden, it is a perfectly hardy and low-maintenance plant that rests in summer. Its bulbs multiply on their own and stay in place, eventually forming large carpets that beautify year after year.

Saxifraga granulata 'Flore Pleno' (synonym S. granulata var. plena) is an herbaceous bulbous plant, which can be perennial or biennial. It belongs to the Saxifragaceae family. The typical form, with single flowers, is native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia where it is quite common. It is a hardy plant that prefers sandy and light soils, close to neutrality (not too alkaline or too acidic), and thrives in sunny or bright semi-shade. The Latin name of this species, granulata, refers to the granules or bulbils that form in the soil around the plant's stump, ensuring its longevity.

The vegetation of Saxifraga granulata 'Flore Pleno' is usually evergreen in winter, but deciduous in summer in dry soils. The foliage forms a rosette of round and kidney-shaped leaves with irregular margins, carried by a long petiole. The entire plant is hairy and sticky. Flowering occurs between late March and late May, depending on the region and climate. Dark floral stems measuring on average 40cm (16in) tall emerge from the foliage. The stems are also hairy and sticky, branching upwards. The small double white flowers are gathered in loose clusters or corymbs.

Saxifraga granulata 'Flore Pleno' is best planted en masse in slightly wild areas of the garden, in an herbaceous border, along a pathway, or at the edge of a woodland. It will look stunning, in all its simplicity, when combined with daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, Spanish bluebells, and perennial geraniums. To conceal its absence in summer, it can be paired, for example, with asters, Japanese anemones, or foxgloves.