Scientific Name
Portulaca grandiflora Hook.
Common Name(s)
Moss Rose, Moss Rose Purslane, Rose Moss, Mexican Rose, Sun Rose, Sun Plant, Rock Rose, Eleven O'Clock
Synonym(s)
Portulaca pilosa subsp. grandiflora
Scientific Classification
Family: Portulacaceae
Subfamily: Portulacarioideae
Genus: Portulaca
Etymology
The specific epithet "grandiflora (gran-dih-FLOR-uh)" means "having large flowers" and refers to the large-sized flowers of the species compared to other members of the genus.
Origin
Portulaca grandiflora is native to Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay.
Description
Portulaca grandiflora is an annual succulent with prostrate to suberect stems with fleshy, green, linear leaves. The stems are diffusely branched and hairy at the nodes, with the branches reaching up to 12 inches (30 cm) in length. The leaves are alternate or irregularly scattered and can grow up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long.
The flowers range from purple, red, pink, orange, and yellow to white. They measure up to 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, appear in terminal clusters from late spring to frost, and do not open on cloudy or rainy days. The fruits are egg-shaped capsules with iridescent grey seeds. They are about 0.25 inches (0.6 cm) in diameter.
How to Grow and Care
Portulacas tolerate many kinds of soil but prefer sandy, well-drained soil and love the full sunlight. These plants are excellent for high heat and drought tolerance and will seed and spread themselves very well. Some control methods may be needed to keep Portulacas from becoming invasive in areas that are not wanted. However, these wonderful plants do spread easily and very well.
These succulents require no attention at all when growing and flowering. However, you should remove them from the garden before Portulacas have a chance to set seeds, as they may take over the garden. You do not need to water often for proper Portulaca care. The cylindrical foliage of the plants retains moisture very well. Thus, regular watering is not needed. Light watering will do when watered, as their root zone is very shallow.
The seeds of Portulacas should be sown on the soil surface following the last frost of spring. Ideally, these plants should be grown in a sunny part of the garden. Starting Portulaca indoors starts about one and a half months in advance.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Portulaca.
Links
- Back to genus Portulaca
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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