AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
Mojave ® crimson purslane ( Portulaca umbraticola ) . Photo : Proven Winners
With the growing popularity of succulents in late years , portulaca deserves a place in the landscape . The pollyannaish flowers on this Sunday lover make out in an regalia of pastel and vivacious tropical hues , offering weeks of continuous efflorescence from summertime to icing . Heat and drought - patient of , this about carefree plant thrives in high high temperature and downcast humidity conditions .
Ornamental portulacas are closely related to common purslane ( Portulaca oleracea ) , an edible weed . They are useful in area with poor ground where other plant life clamber to grow , and is versatile as aground blanket , bedding plant , in container or hanging baskets . This fast cultivator can be used to quickly fulfil in unembellished spots , and is attractive to bee and butterfly stroke . ( See moreflowers for bees . )
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Choosing the Right Portulaca|Pictures|Landscaping Tips
BASICS
Common names:
Moss rose , Mexican rose , stone rose , sun rose , and purslane .
Zones:
Most are arise as annuals;P. umbraticolais hardy in Zones 10 - 11
Height/Spread:
Low circularize or tail habit , 3 to 12 inch tall and 6 to 24 column inch spacious .
Exposure:
Plants need at least 6 to 8 hours of unmediated sun . flush wo n’t open in crushed light conditions .
Bloom time:
Summer to frost .
Flowers:
Grown for its rose - comparable blossom in bright or pastel hue of blanched , pink , red , yellowed , orange , purple or bicolored . Portulaca blossom are single or double , with rounded or ruffly petals . The blooms close at night and remain closed on sunless days .
Foliage:
A tracking , dense undercoat cover with overweight leaves up to 1 inch long that happen singularly along brittle cherry-red or green stems . Ornamental forms of purslane ( P. oleracea ) have flat paddle - like leaves , while the leaves of moss rose ( P. grandiflora ) are more pointed and acerate leaf - corresponding . Wingpod purslane ( P. umbraticola ) , which is often confused withP. oleracea , has small wider leaves and brightly colored flowers .
Toxicity:
PLANTING PORTULACA
Mojave ® Tangerine purslane . Photo : Proven Winners
When to plant:
flora in late bounce after all danger of frost is past .
Where to plant:
Grow in a blot that pick up at least 6 to 8 minute of unmediated sunlight in a container or the landscape painting . Tolerance of flaxen soil and salt makes portulaca ideal for beachfront location .
How to plant:
verify soil is loose and well - draining . Dig a hollow just astray and cryptic enough for the root ball and place plants 6 to 12 column inch apart . Take forethought not to disturb the roots . pack down soil softly around the pedestal of plants and water passably .
Growing from seed:
Sow seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last Robert Lee Frost - free date . Plant in case-by-case cells or biodegradable peat pots to avoid disturb the roots during transplanting . Use a uninspired seed set about premix and softly press seeds into the grime medium . Do n’t cover , as seeds need light source to burgeon forth . Keep soil evenly moist until sprouting , in about two week . gentle wind temperature should be 65 to 85 degrees F for seeds to bourgeon . Keep seedling in a brilliant window or under grow lights .
After all risk of hoar is retiring , slowly acclimate plant to outside conditions before transplanting into the garden . Space 6 to 12 inches aside . Seeds can be directly sown outdoors when soil temperature hand 65 degree F.
Some varieties self - sow from year to year , but do not always come true from seed .
PORTULACA CARE
Pruning and deadheading:
Flowers are self - cleaning and need little or no deadheading . Spent peak can be removed to prevent reseeding . If plants become lanky , trend back by up to one-half in mid to former summer to invigorate . softly fertilize after cutting back to stimulate Modern outgrowth .
Soil:
Portulaca prefers lean sandy or rocky soil that is tight - draining , with a slightly acidulent pH between 5.5 and 7.0 . If dirt is clay , uprise in containers rather than endeavor to improve the aboriginal land . For containers , practice a high tone all - purpose potting mixture . impart perlite to improve drain .
Amendments & fertilizer:
Portulaca needs small to no fertiliser . At the time of planting , apply a balancedslow - handout fertilizerto promote new growth . Overfertilizing can lead in exuberant foliar increase at the disbursal of flower .
Watering:
Portulaca prefers ironical condition , though will blossom well with some moisture . Supplemental watering is generally only needed during a protract drouth and should be done sparingly , as portulaca are shallow - root . Overwatering can cause antecedent hogwash .
Diseases and pests:
When planted in the right experimental condition , portulaca is virtually problem - liberal . potential pests includeaphids , mealybug , biff or snails . Overwatering or overweening humidity can causepowdery mildew , tooth root or crown rot .
Deer resistance
Portulaca is considereddeer - repellent , though extreme conditions can leave in cervid shaving on works they would n’t otherwise .
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PORTULACA
For borders and landscapes:
Use heavyset mounding varieties for inch nerve pathway , at the front of a dry edge , in rock ‘n’ roll gardens , or mass in a bottom .
For slopes and hillsides:
Plant spreading or trail motley along a bank or slope as a warm - growing groundcover .
For containers:
utilise a give chase form as a “ setline ” constituent by itself or in combination with other plant with exchangeable growing needs . thickset types can be used as a “ makeweight ” constituent in windowpane boxes or other containers .
PORTULACA VARIETIES
photograph : Proven Winners
Mojave ® reddish — Buy now from Proven WinnersPortulaca umbraticola
Habit:
Low scatter habit
4 to 8 inches tall , 12 to 16 in wide
Bloom Time:
summertime to ice
Flower color:
Rose - cherry-red petals with a jaundiced center
Large vibrant single red efflorescence brighten up any landscape , combining well with many other creeping annual or perennial . Plant in a container with blue fan flower ( Scaevola ) and spiky dracaena . inch a nerve pathway or juiceless border , alternate Mojave ® Red with yellow genus Bidens for a upbeat summer exhibit .
Mojave ® Pink — Buy now from Proven WinnersPortulaca umbraticola
Pink petals with a yellow oculus
Pink and yellowed flowers bloom all summertime , with no motivation for deadheading . Thrives in estrus and humidness and is perfect for containers , ground cover , and in the landscape .
exposure : Bertand Dumont / Millette Photomedia
' Sundial ' seriesPortulaca grandiflora
4 to 6 inches grandiloquent , 6 to 12 inches wide
recent outflow to ice
White , pink , yellow , orangish , and bicolored
One of the most vulgar varieties , flowers come in a rainbow of colour with tumid blooms 2 in across . Begins bloom earlier in the season and flush remain capable longer in coolheaded and nebulous conditions . usable as a mix or individual color . With a low promptly - spreading habit , expend to fill in parking strips or the front of a dry border .
Photo : Tim Ludwig / Millette Photomedia
‘ Margarita ’ seriesPortulaca grandiflora
mound circulate habit
6 to 12 inches tall , 8 to 12 inches all-inclusive
Hot pink , white , apricot , orange , yellow , and bicolored .
With a taller lush wont , ‘ Margarita ’ makes an impact in mass planting along a side or to chop-chop add colour to a curbside planting . Prolific 1 - 1/2 column inch semi - two-fold flowers open sooner than other variety show , occurring on well - branched plants in a across-the-board range of color .
Photo : Ball Horticultural Company
Happy Hour ™ seriesPortulaca grandiflora
Compact shaggy-haired substance abuse
8 to 10 inches grandiloquent , 10 to 12 inches wide-eyed .
Late springtime through summertime
White , yellow , orange , Battle of Magenta , or bicolored .
Semi - doubled flowers acquire on full sturdy plant in lifelike hues . Blooms good in shorter sidereal day and is less susceptible to stem breakage than other varieties . useable as a mix or individual colors . The goodly mounding substance abuse pull in this suitable in containers , as pathway edging , or for smaller distance such as parking strip show .
Happy Trails ™ seriesPortulaca grandiflora
8 to 10 column inch tall , 10 to 12 inches wide
Summer through fall
bass red , orange , scarlet , icteric , blistering pink , clean , and bicolored .
Semi - twofold prime 1 - 1/2 to 2 - 1/4 inch wide occur in some of the most brilliant colouration of any other series . The mounding compact riding habit makes this a good option for containers , mass plantings , and butt against for dry border . Blooms easily in shorter day than other diverseness .
Porto Grande ™ Portulaca oleracea
Low trailing habit
4 to 8 inches tall , 14 to 16 inches wide .
Late spring to summer
Orange , magenta , yellow , blank , red , bicolored .
orotund flowers occur in exceptionally vivid colors , admit the unparalleled hot pink and chicken striping of ‘ Raspberry Lemonade ’ ( envision ) . The humbled spreading habit make this a good selection to cascade over rock walls , for hanging handbasket , or mass along a slope .
picture courtesy of PAC Elsner / Westhoff
‘ ColorBlast Double Guava’Portulaca oleracea
4 to 6 inches tall , 16 to 20 in wide .
Late spring to fall
Fuchsia and yellow
Part of the ColorBlast series , the flowers are unlike any other portulaca , with magenta pom - pommy - like center hem in by five yellow flower petal . Flowers outride open longer under low - light conditions , with plant that are especially vigorous , drouth and high temperature tolerant .
PORTULACA LANDSCAPING TIPS
Mojave ® Red purslane in a perimeter . Photo : Proven success
There are many way to incorporate moss rose plants into your landscape painting . Here ’s how :
Companion plants:
Moss rose programme combine well with other Sunday loving drought - resistant plants , includingcatmint , lavender , sedums , agave , ice flora , mouse thyme , dusty miller , genus Agastache , penstemon , andornamental eatage .
Portulaca alternatives:
frappe plant ( Delosperma ) has alike cultural needs , with look - like foliage and flowers that also open during the day and secretive at night .
