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Portulaca plantsor moss rose , or common purslane , are succulent groundcovers and Portulacaceae household member .
Portulaca grandiflora earned its specific species name ( Grandiflora ) because of its large flowers .
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Portulaca is aboriginal to Uruguay , Argentina , and southern Brazil . In these areas , the plant life maturate naturally as a perennial .
Throughout the United States , it grows as an annual in USDA hardiness zone 2 to 10a . It can grow as a perennial in USDA hardiness geographical zone 10b through 11 .
The plant realize its common name , Moss Rose , because its flowers look very like violent roses .
The rambling , succulent foliation forms a dense , moss - like mat even in very ambitious preferences .
Other common name include :
Portulaca Quick Care Tips
Portulaca Care
Size and Growth
This succulent yearly is a fast agriculturalist that grows to be about 6″ or 8″ inch marvellous , and each flora has a spread of about 12 ” all-encompassing or more .
The foliage has reddish sarcoid fore and cylindrical succulent leave about 1″ column inch long at the stem tips .
Flowering and Fragrance
Portulaca prime are unscented , blush wine - like blooms in shades of white , yellowish , orangish , tangerine , pinkish , fuchsia , lavender , and red ( and pastel variations ) throughout the summer and into the fall .
blossom may be single - petaled , double - petaled , or semi - doubled with ruffly blossom flower petal .
However , most varieties incline to have two-fold - flush that resemble pocket-sized roses , hence the common name moss rose .
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The flowers typically close on rainy and cloudy days . They also stay open longer in ice chest and cloudy weather .
Light and Temperature
Perennial moss rosebush opt full sun and eff the oestrus but can tolerate light-headed wraith . It prefers a lower limit of 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight per day .
Because it is native to South America , the plant has a high drouth tolerance and favor a hot setting .
The idealistic temperature crop between 65 ° and 75 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
These succulent do very well when grown as an annual during the summer and produce as a perennial in semi - tropic mise en scene .
Watering and Feeding
Once make in a garden setting , the vulgar purslane needs minimal lachrymation , if any .
When you grow the flora in potful or container , you should check the grime occasionally to determine your watering schedule .
look until the top stratum of soil is ironical , and then water system exhaustively at the pedestal of the industrial plant or from the bottom .
Moreover , it prefers relative humidness levels between 90 % to 95 % .
Fertilize with general - purpose high - N plant food when first sowing seeds or planting seedlings . The food help get plants a good starting signal .
When industrial plant start to bloom , use a fertilizer high up in P to encourage more blossoms .
You should not need to fertilize more than these two times throughout these plants ’ develop time of year .
If your plants need more frequent fertilizing , use a balanced 20–20–20 liquid fertiliser , and apply it no more than twice a month .
Another alternative is to apply a balanced slow - acquittance fertilizer in the eye of the growing season to advertize new ontogeny .
Be sure to water straight off after apply any fertilizer .
Soil and Transplanting
Portulaca plants grow well in any well - draining poor to average dirt . To improve drainage , you’re able to add up soil amendments , let in perlite , compost , and peat moss .
When transplantation , keep the soil evenly moist until the plant sets its tooth root and begin to grow .
point off and establish a light lacrimation agenda as described above .
Grooming and Maintenance
While your seedlings are still lowly , pinch them back to boost bushy growth . Pinch off the first blossoms to encourage more flower .
Throughout the increase , time of year trimming and pinch back as you wish to maintain the flora shape . Deadhead the flowers promptly to encourage more rosiness .
If expecting Robert Frost , get across plants to void losing them .
Removing spent blooms will also keep self - seeding if grown out of doors .
How To Propagate Portulaca Plants?
Portulaca seeds can be sown like a shot into the fountain garden after the last hoarfrost . Start source indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the predicted last frost .
Seedlings can be fix out following the last frost .
In warmer clime , your flora may reseed themselves and come along on their own as annuals yr after year .
Growing Portulaca From Cuttings
Starting plants is very prosperous . Trim off straggly stems and lie them on top of a very more or less dampish , well - draining potting mix .
apply a succulent or cactus mix or a homemade miscellany using regular potting soil and coarse sand .
earmark the soil to become almost dry before very gently water it again . Within a week to 10 days , cutting will put out roots and start growing within a month .
Portulaca Plants Pest or Diseases
When kept in a well - ventilated circumstance with well - draining soil and plenty of sun , Purslane has few , if any , problems . If the industrial plant is kept too blind drunk or otherwise suffers , it may attract aphid .
Overwatering and badly drain soils cause crown and stem rot . Be sure to utilize precipitously draining stain .
Planting Portulaca plant in a slenderly elevated bed can better drain and serve prevent problems with fungus .
If you experience dirt ball problems , gnat , wanderer soupcon , and aphids , use an worm repellant or insecticide as necessitate .
Encourage predator dirt ball such as lacewing , ladybugs , and the the likes of to help keep these pests under control .
Because these rambling plant are very low - growing , slugs and snail can be problematic . This is specially true if you tend to overwater .
ironic , well - drain dirt and proper ventilation will warn moisture - loving slugs and snail .
If you have a trouble with them , pick them off by mitt and use slug and snail sweetener or natural means of command .
Suggested Portulaca Rose Uses
Portulaca is an excellent choice for xeriscaping , rock gardens , hanging baskets , bed plants , curbside strips , and other ironic , hot areas where a background cover is trust .
These plants make a beautiful border around the flower garden and are pop for planter , careen wall , Rosa Parks , and other stripped spots in public setting .
It can also be grown in containers and kept indoors through the winter . It also does nicely as a houseplant twelvemonth - one shot and is attractive in hanging basket .
Portulaca Rose also helps pull in beneficial worm and pollinator like butterfly and bees .
This drouth - resistant succulent enjoy full Dominicus and relatively dry soil . It ’s also debate deer - insubordinate .
It is an excellent low - sustainment option as a groundcover , to domesticate in semi - tropic areas , and to grow as an annual in any location .
Is Portulaca Considered Toxic or Poisonous To People, Kids, Pets?
accord to the American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals , Portulaca olearata ( a cousin salmagundi of Portulaca grandiflora ) is highly toxic .
The flora are very similar in appearance . Both are signify to be decorative , not edible , so err on the side of caveat and keep both out of reach of children , pet , and livestock . [ source ]
Is Portulaca Moss Considered Invasive?
Although this live succulent may be reseed in a tributary environment , it is not full-bodied enough to become invasive .
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