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Portulacaceae
Moss Rose
Portulaca grandiflora
Cheer, simple joy, hardiness.
- Family
- Portulacaceae
- Genus
- Portulaca
- Native to
- Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- Annual succulent
- Height
- 10–20 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy, sharply drained
- Water
- Very low; drought-tolerant
- Hardiness
- Annual everywhere
- Lifespan
- One season; reseeds reliably
Did you know
- Moss rose flowers are heliotropic — they only open in bright sunshine and snap shut on cloudy days or in late afternoon.
- It's a true succulent, with thick fleshy leaves that store water and let it thrive in cracks of pavement, hot rock walls, and gravel paths where most flowers wilt.
- Despite the dainty rose-like petals, it's actually related to purslane — the edible weed many gardeners pull up.
- A single tiny seed can produce a sprawling plant covered in dozens of jewel-bright flowers in less than two months.
- Modern double-flowered cultivars look almost identical to miniature roses, but they're tough enough to bloom in summer asphalt.
Color meanings
Pink
Bright optimism