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Annual Flower
Also known as Moss Rose, Rose Moss
Portulaca grandiflora
Portulacaceae Family
Portulaca is especially well-suited for growing in containers on patios and decks, with its fleshy, succulent leaves, red stems, and colorful cactus-like flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, purple and white. Plants prefer hot, dry, almost desert-like conditions.
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Site Characteristics
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Sunlight:
Soil conditions:
- tolerates droughty soil
- requires well-drained soil
Special locations:
- outdoor containers
- rock gardens
- xeriscapes
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Plant Traits
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Lifecycle:
annual
Ease-of-care:
easy
Needs hot, dry conditions, but otherwise not fussy.
Height:
0.33 to 0.66 feet
Spread:
0.5 to 2 feet
Bloom time:
- mid-summer
- late summer
- early fall
- mid-fall
Flower color:
- red
- orange
- yellow
- violet
- white
- pink
Flowers are 1 to 1 ˝” in diameter and resemble cactus blooms. Can be single or double. Most have ruffled petals. They open on sunny days and close at night or when it is cloudy.
Foliage color:
Stems are tinted red.
Foliage texture:
fine
Leaves resemble fleshy spruce needles.
Shape:
spreading mass
Quickly forms dense mats.
Shape in flower:
same as above
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Special Considerations
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Tolerates:
Special characteristics:
- aggressive
- Self-seeds readily.
- non-invasive
- not native to North America
- Native to South America.
Special uses:
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Growing Information
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How to plant:
Propagate by
seed
- Scatter seeds outdoors where desired after frost danger has passed, or start them indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. They do not like transplanting, so handle seedlings carefully. Do not cover the seeds, as light aids germination.
Germination temperature: 70 F to 85 F
Days to emergence: 10 to 14
Maintenance and care:
Deadhead to reduce self-seeding.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals
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Varieties
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‘Margarita’ series: early-flowering plants with compact, mound-forming habits and reliable garden performance. Flowers in shades of red, pink, orange, white, yellow and purple.‘Sundial’ series; early-flowering variety with double, rose-like flowers in shades of white, pink, red, orange, yellow and purple. Grows 4 to 6” tall. ‘Calypso’ mix: double flowers in shades of yellow, red, pink, orange, purple and white.
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