All flowers
Moss Rose Wikimedia Commons
Portulacaceae

Moss Rose

Portulaca grandiflora

Joy and resilience in adversity.

Family
Portulacaceae
Genus
Portulaca
Native to
South America, Brazil, Argentina
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
herbaceous
Height
4-8 in
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, sandy, poor
Water
low
Hardiness
2-11
Lifespan
annual

Did you know

  • Moss rose flowers only open in sunshine and close on cloudy days and at night.
  • The succulent stems and leaves store water, allowing the plant to thrive in hot, dry conditions where other flowers fail.
  • Each flower lasts only a single day, but the plant produces so many blooms it stays colorful for months.
  • It can grow in cracks in pavement and rocky crevices where almost no soil exists.
  • In Brazil, it is called 'onze-horas' (eleven o'clock) because the flowers open around midday.

Color meanings

0

happiness

1

resilience

2

lightheartedness

Uses

  • ground cover
  • rock gardens
  • container planting
  • border edging