Purple Saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia

Collectors' Tips

Because these plants may look quite different according to where you find them, identification might be tricky! The surest indicator may the leaves; remember that Saxifraga oppositifolia is the only saxifrage in the Canadian Arctic with opposite leaves. The most important thing to remember, however, is that you should never dig up these plants.

If you live in or visit the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, you may want to pick and eat the purple flowers when they appear in the spring; they're quite tasty. But be very careful not to pull up the plants. Although it's tempting to try to bring one home for your garden, their growing conditions are very difficult to reproduce further south, and many gardeners have found that they die soon after they're transplanted. Moreover, the environments in which these plants grow are fragile, and it takes many years for one to grow to a size where you would notice it. Few people ever get to see a purple saxifrage growing in nature; the experience should be treated as a privilege. Remember the Sierra Club's advice: take only pictures and leave only footprints.