How to Grow Portulaca Flowers BY HASHMI GARDENING & LANDSCAPING

How to Grow Portulaca Flowers

Moss rose plants are popular bedding plants sold in nurseries and home improvement stores in the spring. If you see any leftover annual plants on clearance in the summer, you might notice that the moss rose plants are usually just as lovely as they were in May, a testament to the plant’s toughness.

The succulent leaves of the portulaca are another clue to the wonderful drought-tolerance of this low-growing annual flower. Many varieties have semi-double to fully double flowers that resemble miniature roses. Flowers come in hot colors, like yellow, orange, red, and bright pink. White, cream, and variegated flower colors are also available.

·         Botanical Name: Portulaca grandiflora
·         Common Name: Moss rose
·         Plant Type: Annual flower
·         Mature Size: 3 to 8 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches wide
·         Sun Exposure: Full sun
·         Soil Type: Sandy, well-drained; will tolerate moist to dry soil
·         Soil pH: 5.5 to 7.0
·         Bloom Time: Early summer to frost
·         Flower Color: White, orange, yellow, red

How to Grow Portulaca Flowers

    The low water requirement of the moss rose makes it a natural choice for the container garden. You can include it in containers that are exposed to winds, such as on a patio or dock. The trailing habit of the moss rose works well in hanging baskets. 

Portulaca behaves itself as a ground cover, never going out of bounds, so try it in a small garden or fairy garden. Or, you can plant portulaca in the rock garden, where it will flourish in poor soils. It is also vigorous enough to grow in the pockets of a stacked stone wall, where the plants will tumble down the sun-warmed rocks. 

Light

             Portulacas need six to eight hours of full sun to reach their potential. If you try to grow portulacas in a shady area, they will pout and close up their flowers. You will also notice the flowers close at night and on cloudy days.

Soil

           Portulacas demand a well-drained soil. If your soil is mostly clay, you should grow your portulacas in containers rather than try to turn the clay into the sandy, rocky soil that these plants love.

Water

            Portulacas are drought-tolerant, but they aren’t cacti. The plants will tolerate periods of dryness, and you probably won’t return home to withered specimens after vacation, but flowering is better with regular irrigation. Drip irrigation is best, as sprinklers can disfigure the delicate blooms.

Temperature and Humidity

A native of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, moss rose likes heat and can tolerate dry conditions. It is commonly used for xeriscaping.

Fertilizer

Feed portulacas with a slow-release fertilizer (for flowers) twice a year, or once every 6 months.

Varieties

Here are some stunning portulaca varieties to consider:

·       1       Afternoon Delight: Delays closing its blooms in the evening
2       Duet series: Bi-color flowers in yellow and red or yellow and rose
3        Fairy Tale series: Resemble bomb-type peonies, in that they have a pom pom center with          flat petals that flare around the edges
4         Happy Hour: Has a shortened photoperiod requirement, which means earlier blooms 
5         Margarita series: Rosita variety an All-American selections winner in this series
6        Sundance: Has larger flowers than other varieties on mounding, upright plants
7         Sundial series: A good choice for Northwest gardeners, as it tolerates cloudy days and              cool weather
8         Yubi series: Single-petaled flowers in eight color choice

Pruning

             Portulacas do bloom all season, but they may begin to look lanky by July. At this point, you can trim back the plants and fertilize with a balanced flower fertilizer for renewed vigor.

Growing Moss Roses From Seeds

              If you’re growing your portulaca plants from seed, take care not to over-sow the tiny seeds, which are as small as pepper flakes and need light to germinate. You can start the seeds indoors eight weeks before your last frost date for earlier flowers, or plant them in the ground after the last frost. The seeds take about two weeks to germinate in warm temperatures of 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants also self-seed generously, so learn to recognize young seedlings in the spring garden. 

Common Pests

        Aphids occasionally bother portulacas, especially in the spring. Spray affected plants with insecticidal soap when the temperature is below 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Slugs and snails affect plants in wet areas. Roll out the unwelcome mat with diatomaceous earth around moss rose plants to slash and dry out these and other insect pests.