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Saxifraga oppositifolia

Purple Saxifrage · Purple Alpine Saxifrage · Purple Mountain Saxifrage

Family SaxifragaceaeGenus Saxifraga

Magenta-pink five-petalled flowers with darker eyes, covering a mat of tiny leaves that spills between lichen-crusted rocks.
FlowerRobert Flogaus-FaustCC BY 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Purple, pinkFlora of North America
Native range
Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Altay, Austria and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

Two sources report 7 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    2 germinated in this phase.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 21 days.

20% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). Where death rates were measured it was found that the seeds died rapidly in DS. Thus many of the past failures in this genus can possibly be the result of old seed. S. oppositifolia germ. 70 GA-3(18% in 3-5 w), 70L(12% in 5th w)-40-70L{38% in 2-4 w), 70D(2%)-40-70L(20% in 3rd w), 70D(2%)-40(2%)-70D(16% in 3rd w), and 40- 70D(none). Although light and GA-3 increased percent and rate of germination, germination is still satisfactory in a 70-40-70 pattern in dark. Seeds DS 4 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

18% germination in 21–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). Where death rates were measured it was found that the seeds died rapidly in DS. Thus many of the past failures in this genus can possibly be the result of old seed. S. oppositifolia germ. 70 GA-3(18% in 3-5 w), 70L(12% in 5th w)-40-70L{38% in 2-4 w), 70D(2%)-40-70L(20% in 3rd w), 70D(2%)-40(2%)-70D(16% in 3rd w), and 40- 70D(none). Although light and GA-3 increased percent and rate of germination, germination is still satisfactory in a 70-40-70 pattern in dark. Seeds DS 4 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    2 germinated in this phase.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    2 germinated in this phase.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 21 days.

16% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). Where death rates were measured it was found that the seeds died rapidly in DS. Thus many of the past failures in this genus can possibly be the result of old seed. S. oppositifolia germ. 70 GA-3(18% in 3-5 w), 70L(12% in 5th w)-40-70L{38% in 2-4 w), 70D(2%)-40-70L(20% in 3rd w), 70D(2%)-40(2%)-70D(16% in 3rd w), and 40- 70D(none). Although light and GA-3 increased percent and rate of germination, germination is still satisfactory in a 70-40-70 pattern in dark. Seeds DS 4 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 35 days.

12% germination in 35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). Where death rates were measured it was found that the seeds died rapidly in DS. Thus many of the past failures in this genus can possibly be the result of old seed. S. oppositifolia germ. 70 GA-3(18% in 3-5 w), 70L(12% in 5th w)-40-70L{38% in 2-4 w), 70D(2%)-40-70L(20% in 3rd w), 70D(2%)-40(2%)-70D(16% in 3rd w), and 40- 70D(none). Although light and GA-3 increased percent and rate of germination, germination is still satisfactory in a 70-40-70 pattern in dark. Seeds DS 4 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Saxifraga p. 76. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

75% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saxifraga p. 211Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). The stimulation of germination by GA-3 in S. oppositifolia germ. 70D GA-3(75-80% in 3rd w), 70L(12% in 3rd w), and 70D(6% in 3rd w). A prior 4 w in 70D or 701, had no effect. The seedlings from GA-3 treatment were etiolated and survival was low, and this needs more study.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saxifraga p. 211. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

12% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saxifraga p. 211Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). The stimulation of germination by GA-3 in S. oppositifolia germ. 70D GA-3(75-80% in 3rd w), 70L(12% in 3rd w), and 70D(6% in 3rd w). A prior 4 w in 70D or 701, had no effect. The seedlings from GA-3 treatment were etiolated and survival was low, and this needs more study.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saxifraga p. 211. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

6% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saxifraga p. 211Public domain
Show the original text
Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). The stimulation of germination by GA-3 in S. oppositifolia germ. 70D GA-3(75-80% in 3rd w), 70L(12% in 3rd w), and 70D(6% in 3rd w). A prior 4 w in 70D or 701, had no effect. The seedlings from GA-3 treatment were etiolated and survival was low, and this needs more study.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saxifraga p. 211. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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