Portulaca grandiflora

Portulacas are self-seeding annuals that grow, flower, and produce seeds in a single growing season.

If you allow your portulaca to produce seeds, you will see new seedlings emerge the following spring—even in your apartment.

Though Portulaca grandiflora is called a rose by a thousand names – it is not a true rose, nor even a part of the rose family or the rosid group.

It’s actually much more closely related to carnations and cacti.

They will create a beautiful carpet of attractive, succulent foliage, covered with a profusion of single, semi-double, or double flowers in bright colors with ruffled petals.

And they are visited by bees for their pollen and nectar.

Note bene: They do not survive frost.

The Tale:

A particularly desirable trait is that portulaca is very tolerant of heat and dry conditions.

In fact, it is considered a succulent plant (a plant that has thick stems or leaves to help retain moisture).

Other Names:

Rose moss, eleven o’clock, Mexican rose, moss rose, sun rose, rock rose, and moss-rose purslane.

Origin:

Northern Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Brazil