United States Edition

Moss rose     

Portulaca grandiflora

Moss rose is a plant which belongs to the Portulaca genus. The origin of this plant's scientific name epithet (grandiflora) means 'with large flowers'.

While this is an annual, the plant will self-seed from zones 5-11. Usually sold in mixed colors.

This plant is toxic to pets. 1

There also have perennial type and it will not normally produce seeds. Perennial type is more hardy than the annual portulaca.

Blooms appear in these approximate colours:   Brink pink and   Canary yellow and   Coral red. The mature flowers are of a double form. Leaves appear approximately as a   Grade 1 Paint Green colour. It is a flower / ornamental that typically grows as an annual/perennial, which is defined as a plant that can matures and completes its lifecycle over the course of one year or more. Normally reaching to a mature height of 5.85 inches (15.0 cm). This plant tends to bloom in early summer. This plant is a great attractor for butterflies and bees, so if you are looking to attract wildlife Moss rose is a great choice.

Brazil is believed to be where Moss rose originates from.

As Moss rose is a low maintanence plant, it is great for beginner gardeners and those that like gardens that don't need much overseeing.

This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Moss rose have been kindly provided by our members.

How to grow Moss rose

  • Full Sun

    OR +
  • Partial Sun

    +
  • Low

Very hardy in full sun, don’t need a lot of watering to survive.

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun / partial sun and remember to apply water fairly sparingly. Use Zone 5 - Zone 11 as your guideline for the appropriate climate for this plant. Ensure your soil has a ph of between 5.6 and 7.5 as Moss rose is a weakly acidic soil - weakly alkaline soil loving plant. Keep in mind when planting that Moss rose 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.

Growing Moss rose from seed

Direct sow outdoors in fall if you live in zone 5 or above. If you live in zone 4 or under, seed indoors before the last frost.

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

Transplanting Moss rose

Grows in mass clumps and it is really only easy to transplant individual plants when they are tiny. They will reseed and spread on their own.

Can be transplanted from nursery-grown stock.

Seed Saving Moss rose

Portulaca has a seed container similar to the petunia. Allow flowers to dry on the plant and collect the ‘tiny cream colored and cone shaped seed pod’ carefully. Put them in a bag as you collect them one by one. Keeping them in the bag squeeze the ‘tiny pods’ gently and the seeds will emerge. After separating the debris from the seeds, allow to air dry before storing them in a labeled paper bag.

Companion plants for Moss rose

These plants have been known to grow well alongside Moss rose so consider planting:

Repellent plants for Moss rose

These plants will not grow well with Moss rose so avoid planting these within close proximity:

Common Moss rose problems

These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Moss rose plants:

Other names for Moss rose

Portulaca

Portulaca pilosa subsp. grandiflora

Misspellings: portucula

Latest Moss rose Reviews

  • 17 Nov 2011
    Reviewed

    BeccaRose BeccaRose's Moss rose was Reviewed day 169

    Wow! Very hardy & prolific. Spread happily throughout the azeleas & ferns. Cuttings root in water easily. Will wait to see if it reseeds. Did very well as a ground cover.

    5 stars

See all Moss rose reviews and experiences »

Moss rose care instructions

How long does Moss rose take to grow?

These estimates for how long Moss rose takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world. Start logging and journaling your observations to participate!

When should I plant Moss rose?

Our when to plant Moss rose estimates are relative to your last frost date. Enter your frost dates and we'll calculate your sowing and planting dates for you!

Footnotes

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