This excellent group of rock garden plants is known as the section Ligulatae, or more commonly as the silver or encrusted saxifrages, in recognition of the deposits of lime that line the leaves. They all have rosettes, large or small depending on the variety, and have relatively large panicles of flowers, usually white. They come from rocky places in the mountains, some on limestone and some on acid rocks.

Saxifraga cochlearis 'Major' makes a compact cushion of silvery rosettes, which are a little larger than those of 'Minor', but still neat and small. It has sprays of white flowers with a red blotch, on short reddish-brown stems. It is an excellent saxifrage for a rock garden, raised bed or trough.