Mother of Thousands.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 6, 10 February 1909, Page 39

Mother of Thousands.

(Saxifraga Sarmentosa.) Apparently soon after its introduction the above saxifrage was recognised as a very suitable one for rooms. Not only is this the case in Britain, but our neighbours on the Continent have also discovered its suitability for window culture. It is a native of China and Japan and so nearly hardy that it will live out of doors in sheltered and well drained situations in gardens about London and. of course, round the south and west coasts where the climate is mild and equable in winter. Planted out under those conditions, runners, somewhat like those of the strawl>erry. are produced in great numbers and root in the ground round the mother plant, so that th? cultivator soon gets quite a dense ma* ■ out of them. The plant is worthy of at tention in this form for the sake of it" foliage alone, and if the cultivator took the trouble to lift a number of the"' runner but strong runners will branch them in boxes for th<* winter, he could have a stock of a useful plant for making a small bed of a foliage plant that would answer instead of begonias. Small plants could scarcely be expected to flower, but it flowering specimen* are desired then the plants should be lifted and preserved in the same way. For window culture the plant is quite as ser \ iceable. if not more so. than for out d<ors. but to be seen at its full beautv it should he suspended. as shown in the illustration. Ibis allows the runners to hang down in quite a graceful fashion. Each produces a little plant just lik-* the parent in miniature at the end of th • inner, but strong runnel" will branch Hid produce a number of these little plants in the same way as the straw berry. The plant will succeed admirable even though the amount of light is moderate. ..*C S