Common purslane 'Red'

Portulaca oleracea

How to grow Common purslane 'Red'

  • Full Sun

  • Very Low

Annual. Easily grown in poor to average, dry to moderately moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Drought tolerant. Plants may self-seed.

Other details:
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season

A full sun position will ensure your plant thrives and remember to water very sparingly. Keep in mind when planting that Red is thought of as tender, so remember to wait until your soil is warm and the night time temperature is well above freezing before moving outside. Planting Red in loamy, sandy and silty soil with a ph of between 6.1 and 7.8 is ideal for as it does best in weakly acidic soil to weakly alkaline soil.

Growing Red from seed

Sow seed directly in the garden after last frost date, or start indoors 6-8 weeks earlier.
Also easy from stem cuttings of mature plants in mid to late summer

Soil temperature should be kept higher than 10°C / 50°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Red about 49 days before your last frost date.

Transplanting Red

Set out seedlings and purchased plants at last frost date. Seedlings transplant easily, put three seedlings into a 7cm pot to make a sturdy pot full to plant out

As Red is tender, ensure temperatures are mild enough to plant out (around 12°C / 54°F as a guideline) - wait until after your last frost date to be on the safe side.

Harvesting Red

The flowers are best enjoyed on the plant