Herb: Strawberry Saxifrage


Latin name: Saxifraga stolonifera


Synonyms: Saxifraga sarmentosa


Family: Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage Family)



Medicinal use of Strawberry Saxifrage:

Antibacterial, antiphlogistic. There are growth-promoting substances in the leaves. The whole plant is depurative, febrifuge and suppurative. Its use promotes the drainage of pus. A decoction is used in the treatment of boils and abscesses, poisonous snakebites, otitis media, acute attacks of convulsions and haematemesis. The leaf juice is applied to aching ears, abscesses and inflammations.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Shady cliffs and mossy rocks at low altitudes. Occasionally naturalized on walls in C. and S. Europe.

Edible parts of Strawberry Saxifrage:

Leaves - raw or cooked. Relished in Japan when parboiled or fried and used in salads. Flowering stem - said to be tasty when salted.

Other uses of the herb:

Can be grown as a ground cover plant in a shady position. Plants should be spaced about 45cm apart each way.

Propagation of Strawberry Saxifrage:

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame in the spring. Surface sow, or only just cover the seed, and make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Shady cliffs and mossy rocks at low altitudes. Occasionally naturalized on walls in C. and S. Europe.

Known hazards of Saxifraga stolonifera:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.