Early Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis) - Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake - An All Creatures Photo Gallery - creation, earth, environment, ecology, plants, trees, animal, animals, fine art, watercolor painting, paintings, photography, pic, pics, pictures, vegetation, restoration, preservatio

Early Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis)
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"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31)

Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake
- Early Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis) -
This is an endangered wildflower and should not be picked or dug up.
(To enlarge the photos of the early saxifrage, click on the photos or links)

(Saxifrage, Early - 01) Just off the side of the road, we spotted these early saxifrages growing on a rocky outcropping, which is typical of their favorite habitat. Early saxifrages bloom from March through May. These flowers were blooming the last week of April.

(Saxifrage, Early - 02) The early saxifrage grows to heights of from 4 to 12 inches (10-30 cm.). These were on the shorter side. The leaves of the early saxifrage are basal and grow in a rosette around the hairy stem. The coarsely toothed leaves are wedge-shaped or oval. There are no leaves on the stems. The lichen growing on the rocks added character to the photo and interest to our visit.

(Saxifrage, Early - 03) In this photo, we have a closer look at some of the 1/4 inch early saxifrage flowers, which grow in a loose panicle. Each flower has 5 petals, 10 stamens, and 2 pistils.

(Saxifrage, Early - 04) This is a bee's eye view of two of the early saxifrage flowers: one is almost fully opened, and the other is just beginning to open.

(Saxifrage, Early - 05) This is another close up look at a few of the awakening early saxifrage flowers.

(Saxifrage, Early - 06) This early saxifrage has full clusters of flowers.

(Saxifrage, Early - 07) This is a cluster of three early saxifrage plants that are growing out of a crack in the rocks. The botanical name "saxifrage" describes this plant's characteristic habitat: the Latin word for "stone" is "saxum" and the Latin word for "to break" is "fragere."

(Saxifrage, Early - 08) In this photo of three early saxifrage plants, we have a closer look at their intertwined rosettes of toothed basal leaves.

(Saxifrage, Early - 09) The undersides of the early saxifrage are often purplish in color. A tint of purple can be seen in some of the leaves. This plant looks unusual because of what appears to be flower buds growing from the base of the flower stalk, but it is really the beginning growth of another flower stalk. The downward facing hairs on the stalk are glandular and secrete a sticky substance to entrap insects that try to climb up the stalk to take the nectar; thus, leaving the nectar for the flying insects.

(Saxifrage, Early - 10) This is a photo of a typical location where early saxifrage grow. Note in the upper left of the photo that a single early saxifrage is growing at the base of the rock, and two plants are growing just to the upper right of the cluster of three.

(Saxifrage, Early - 11) This early saxifrage looks like it is growing directly out of the rock, but it's really growing from a crack. In photo #9, we showed a developing flower stalk with only the flower buds showing. In this photo, we can see these other stalks maturing.

| Wild Flowers of SHL: Photo Identification, Common Name, Scientific Name | Art and Photos |

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