Portulaca is a small group of low-growing, trailing annuals that produce many brightly colored flowers that open every morning in the sunshine and form a carpet of color. They readily bloom all summer long with little or no care required. Most flowers close up at night, and on cloudy days.
A native of the hot, dry plains of southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina with fleshy stems and leaves, they are one of the very few annual succulents. They tolerate heat and drought, which is a characteristic of their more "native" relative, Portulaca oleracea.
Several large flowers, up to an inch in diameter, with shining rose-like petals grow at the ends of the stems. They come in an array of bright, beautiful colors and shades of rose, salmon, pink, scarlet, orange, yellow, and white. Some flowers are also striped or spotted with contrasting colors. There are both single and double flowered varieties available.
The reddish sprawling stems grow 4 or 5 inches long and are clothed with bright green somewhat succulent, cylindrical leaves, about an inch long, and pointed on the tips. The narrow, soft, fleshy leaves are almost hidden by the flowers, which open only in sunshine.
These plants love the sun, therefore need a sunny position to be successful. Moss rose grows well in poor, sandy or gravelly soils, that are very well-drained. Plants are drought tolerant, but flowers best with regular watering. Water them during dry spells and feed lightly once in a while.
The seeds are very tiny, so mix them with sand before sowing to make them easier to scatter. Seeds can be sown directly outside where they are to grow in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. Plant them thinly and barely cover them with soil. If they come up too thickly, they should be thinned to 3 inches apart. In warm climates, moss rose may self-seed.
Moss rose makes a beautiful ground cover in a dry or rocky area, although it cannot be walked on. Use moss rose as edging at the front of borders or in the cracks in a rock wall, or the spaces between stepping stones. It's perfect for a hot, dry, south-facing slope. Plant moss rose in a container or hanging basket and let it spill over like a sedum.
Don't water with overhead irrigation, which can damage the flowers.
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