Portulaca

( port - yew - LAY - kuh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly known as Purselane, this genus of annual (and some perennial) flowering herbaceous plants needs full sun and moderate to regular water to perform well. They are low-growers, and somewhat fleshy-foliaged plants, many of which have bright flowers. Their leaves can be used in cooking and as an addition to salads. Blooms last from late spring until the first frost of the year, the individual flowers opening in the morning light and closing by about midday. These plants are wonderful for parking strips and rock gardens. They also do well in hanging baskets or as edgings or bank covers. Take care when planting these flowers in the garden, as they are toxic to pets.

Portulaca Species and Varietals

The genus Portulaca is the type member of the plant family Portulacaceae and includes over 100 individual species. These plants grow well in all zones. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Portulaca amilis (Paraguayan Purslane)
These plants are native to South America, and have been introduced to the southeastern United States. They typically grow in disturbed areas such as roadsides, fields, lawns, and gardens. Plants produce fleshy green leaves with sharp points and reddish stems. Flowers are pink and have yellow centers. Individual plants reach between 2 and 10 inches tall when mature and in bloom.

Portulaca bicolor (Pigweed, Moss Rose)
These succulent plants have cylindrical, small, rounded leaves and red stems, flowering throughout the year. The species is native to coastal areas of Australia. Flowers are blue-pink with white stamens topped with yellow anthers.

Portulaca filsonii (Sedopsis, Pink Rock-Wort)
These plants are endemic to central Australia, and were first described by James Hamlyn Willis in 1975. The specific epithet honors Rex Bertram Filson. These plants are considered threatened with extinction. They are succulent perennials, and produce reddish to grey-green foliage and red stems. Flowers are pink with whitish centers.

Portulaca grandiflora (Rose Moss, Eleven O'Clock, Mexican Rose, Moss Rose, Sun Rose, Table Rose, Rock Rose, Moss-Rose Purselane)
This species is native to South America and reaches 6 inches tall and 1.5 feet wide. Trailing reddish stems are covered with leaves and small flowers that can come in white, red, cerise, rose-pink, orange, and yellow. These plants are available in both single and multi-color varieties and as single or double blooms. All varieties will self-sow but tend to revert to the parent strain. Strains include 'Sundance', 'Afternoon Delight' (both of which stay open for longer in the afternoon) and 'Sunseeker' (which has larger blooms).

Portulaca halimoides (Silkcotton Purselane)
Native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, as well as Central and South America. These fleshy annuals produce a branching stem that spreads to about 10 inches. Foliage is green to reddish-pink in color, and flowers bloom in clusters at branch tips. Blooms are quite small and yellow. Seeds can be black, grayish, or silvery.

​Portulaca oleracea (Purselane, Little Hogweed, Pursley)
Native to India, this species is edible, and has small yellow flowers and plump, succulent leaves. Stems and leaves can be added to salads, soups and sauces. Improved varieties are commonly sold as the species, and are wonderful additions to edible gardens. These plants may need some harsh controlling to avoid becoming invasive.

Portulaca pilosa (Pink Purselane, Kiss-Me-Quick, Hairy Pigweed)
These annual plants are native to the southern United States and the Caribbean as far south as Brazil. These succulents produce linear leaves covered with soft hairs. The species is highly variable, and flower from late spring through early fall, though they can flower year round in mild climates. Foliage is green, stems are red, and small flowers are pink to magenta in color.

Portulaca suffrutescens (Shrubby Purselane)
These plants are native to the southwestern United States and northern to central Mexico. These plants reach up to a foot tall when mature and in bloom, and produce linear, almost needle-like green succulent foliage. Flowers are orange, copper, or bronze, and bloom at the ends of stems, which can be gold to orange-red in color. Seeds are black.

Portulaca umbraticola (Wingpod Purselane)
These annuals or short-lived perennial succulent plants have small foliage with flower colors that range from yellow, pink, and orange to blue. Stems, leaves, flowers, and roots of these plants are considered edible. Individual plants reach up to 10 inches tall. 

​Portulaca Wildfire Hybrids
This group represents a strain of Portulaca umbraticola (though it is commonly sold under other names), and is great for hot-summer climates. They reach a few inches tall and spread to 2 feet wide. Single flowers are red, pink, lavender, orange, yellow, peach, white or a combination of two colors. Each bloom lasts for only a day but is quickly replaced. In frost-free areas, these plants will return season after season.

Caring for Portulaca

Portulaca plants are not fussy about soil. 

​Their leaves can be used in cooking and as an addition to salads.

Propagation

Problems and Pests

invasiveness

Gallery

Camellias are great candidates to be grown as container plants on your patio.
A field of thea sinensis
Camellia hiemalis 'Shishi Gashira'

Videos

A video all about growing camellias successfully
Propagating camellias

Resources

Wikipedia: Portulaca
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 525 - 526, Portulaca
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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