Calandrinia

( kal - an - DRIN - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of perennials and annuals need partial shade in the warmest climates and moderate water. These plants are native to the Pacific coastal regions of North and South America, and form ground-level clumps of foliage. Flowers are showy, satiny and shaped like cups. Blooms can range in color from pink, purple and red to white. Good drainage is essential for the health of these flowers, and they can take a range of soil richness, but will perform best in humus-rich loam.

Calandrinia Species and Varietals

The genus Calandrinia is a member of the plant family Montiaceae, and includes 37 species. It is closely related to the Australian genus of plants Rumicastrum. The best growing zones for Calandrinia vary depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Calandrinia breweri (Brewer's Redmaids)
These plants are native to coastal mountains and canyons in southern California and Baja California. This is an annual herbaceous plant that produces thick hairless stems and can grow upright or sprawl along the soil surface. Flowers are bright pink to red and bloom in spring and summertime.

Calandrinia ciliata (Fringed Redmaids, Red-Maids)
These annuals grow in all zones, and love sunny, meadow-like conditions. Fringed Redmaids reaches 8-16 inches tall and wide, and has narrow, fleshy gray-green leaves. Magenta flowers bloom in late winter into springtime, and sit atop 8-inch tall stems. Grows well from seed, and has some weedy qualities but still a great garden ornamental.

Calandrinia galapagosa
This interesting species almost looks like a miniature Baobab Tree, and grows exclusively on the Galapagos Islands. Leaves are needle-like and green to reddish, and flowers are pink to white, mimicking wild roses. These plants are critically endangered in their native range, preferring to grow in areas of lava flow.

Calandrinia grandiflora (Cistanthe grandiflora, Claytonia grandiflora) (Rock Purslane)
This perennial grows best in zones 15-17 and 20-24 and is native to Chile. It has a clumping, shrubby habit and gets 1-3 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, Gray-green succulent leaves are thick and fleshy, and brilliant magenta flowers bloom along tall stems from spring through fall. Flowers last one day each, and appear to float above leaves. They are most effective when planted en masse, for a great, uniquely-colored show. They are easily propagated through cuttings in spring and require regular waterings. 

Caring for Calandrinia

Grow Calandrinia in full sun to partial shade. The more sun these plants get, the more they will flower, but late afternoon sun can potentially cause foliage to sunburn. If planting in mass, make sure to space plants about two feet apart for best coverage and airflow. Purslane prefers very well-draining soil with a pH of between 5.5 and 7.5. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing for best results. Water new plants regularly as they establish a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are considered drought tolerant, and can get by on occasional waterings during the warmest months of the year. In areas where temperatures will drop below about 18 degrees Fahrenheit, make sure to either plant these succulents in a very protected area of the garden, use frost cloth to protect them when temperatures drop, or cultivate them in containers to be brought indoors or into a greenhouse during cold weather. Mulch around the base of these plants after installing to increase soil moisture retention, insulate roots from temperature fluctuations, and to suppress weed growth.

Fertilize these plants with a dressing of organic compost yearly in early springtime. Pull back mulch before laying down compost and working it into the soil, and then replace the mulch covering. These plants are not heavy feeders; this nutrient boost will be sufficient for the year's growth and flowering. Purslane plants can become a bit leggy and overgrown, especially if they are in a shadier spot in the garden. This issue can be remedied through pruning; simply cut back the leggy stems as well as any dead, damaged, yellowing leaves to clean up the plant. A new flush of healthy, bushier growth will emerge.

Propagation

Calandrinia can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Calandrinia, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Calandrinia by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch that includes between 3 and 4 nodes. Strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about two to four weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new plant.

Propagating Calandrinia by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are pretty easy to spot; they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds on the soil surface in your prepared pot or seed tray. Cover them with a light layer of soil and water with your spray bottle, taking care to not dislodge the tiny seeds. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination can take a few months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Calandrinia seeds are contained inside of the seed heads left behind after flowers have faded.
Calandrinia seeds are very small, rounded and black to dark brown in color.

Problems and Pests

Calandrinia plants are typically resistant to most pest and disease issues in the landscape, though they can suffer from time to time from the following:
  • Aphids
  • Mealybugs
  • Spider Mites
For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat them, consult the following pages:
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Gallery

Calandrinia is a popular landscaping plant, here planted amongst Agave, Sedum, and Aeonium.
These are low-water plants, and do well in drought-tolerant landscaping.
Calandrinia flowers bloom over a long season from spring through fall.
Calandrinia provides height to this garden, also featuring Mexican Sage, Goutweed, Yarrow, Rudbeckia, Nepeta, 
This rock garden features Aloe, Agave, Echeveria, Barrel Cactus, Calandrinia, Senecio, Aeonium, Euphorbia, and Portulacaria.
These succulent plants can be used as a small-scale groundcover, though they are not hardy enough to handle foot traffic.
This water-wise front yard is filled with the magenta blooms of Calandrinia.
Calandrinia is frequently massed together in large plantings.
Even out of flower, these plants provide interest to garden beds.

Videos

Check out these succulent plants that produce pink poppy-like flowers.
A great introduction to this species.
Learn about these plants from the experts at the Jepson Herbarium.
How to propagate these succulent plants.

Resources

How to Care for and Propagate Rock Purslane Succulents
Calandrinia grandiflora (Rock Purslane)
Grow Calandrinia
Wikipedia: Calandrinia
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 210 - 211, Calandrinia
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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