Alpino Early Picotee Improved, also known as Saxifraga x arendsii or Mossy Saxifrage, is a perennial flowering hybrid, part of a group George Arends first developed in Germany in the late 1800s. Syngenta introduced the Alpino Early series for its free-flowering nature and early bloom. This cultivar offers a mounded habit of 6-10" tall and 8-12" wide, with good vigor and dark and light pink flowers from late spring through early summer. Alpino Early blooms two to four weeks before Touran varieties, allowing you to extend the Saxifraga season in your greenhouse by growing both series. Perennial and evergreen in zone 4-8, Alpino Early Picotee Improved flourishes in full sun with minimal water in rock gardens, borders, and mixed containers.
Alpino Early Picotee Improved Selling Tips
Sell Alpino Early Picotee Improved to customers looking for a low-maintenance evergreen perennial to add to a container, landscape border, or rock garden. This plant offers many benefits, from vibrant color and early flowering to good cold hardiness and a compact habit. These cultivars from Syngenta bring powerful color to small spaces, providing evergreen texture when the bloom season has passed. Create a colorful, high-contrast landscape by growing Saxifraga alongside Heuchera, Japanese Sedge, Astilbe, Ligularia, and Bleeding Heart.
Coach Your Customer
1. Space plants 8-12" apart in well-drained soil in full sun.
2. Water once a week or more often in dry weather.
General Growing Tips For Your Rooted Cutting Liner
For best results with Alpino Early Picotee Improved, plant one rooted liner per 4- or 6-inch container. Use well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-6.2, an EC of 1.5-2.1 mS/cm (SME), temperatures of 66-68 daytime and 58-60 nighttime, and light feed (125-175 ppm N). Provide 6,000-8,000 fc light to this day-neutral plant. Don't pinch or use PGRs. This plant does require 5-7 weeks of bulking at 60-62 degrees, followed by 6-7 weeks of vernalization at 40-45 degrees. Six-inch containers finish in 19 weeks from transplanting, including bulking and vernalization. Watch for fungus gnats, aphids, botrytis, powdery mildew, and rust.
Flowering
Pink flowers with dark pink lines bloom from late spring through early summer.
Pinching
This plant doesn't require pinching.
Spacing
Space containers for adequate airflow and sunlight penetration around the base and foliage of each plant.
Height Control
This plant doesn't need PGRs.
Pests
You may see aphids and fungus gnats.
Disease
Botrytis, powdery mildew, and rust can develop, especially in overly wet conditions. Practice prevention in your greenhouse and grow this plant in full sun.
1. Water at the base of each plant in the morning, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings.
2. Provide good airflow. We recommend using horizontal airflow fans.
3. Space containers so air and sunlight can reach the soil level of each plant.
Planting Alpino Early Picotee Improved Liners
We recommend planting one rooted plug per 4- or 6-inch container. Use well-drained soil and completely bury the ellepot in the middle of the container.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Saxifraga Alpino Early Picotee Improved Quick Reference Guide
| 4 Inch crop time | 11-14 Weeks |
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| Bloom Period | Spring, Summer |
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| Color | Pink |
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| Habit | Mounding |
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| Height | 6-10 Inches |
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| Light | Full Sun |
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| Minimum Temp | 58 |
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| Perennial Zone | 4-8 |
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| Water Needs | Moderate |
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| Patented Plant | yes |
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