(Portulaca grandiflora 'Red')
Moss Ross is a tender warm weather tender perennial/annual ground cover that is native to South America but can commonly be found growing throughout all but the northwestern United States. At maturity this plant reaches the height of 6” with an 18” spread and features small, bright green, semi succulent foliage and a profusion of 1” rose-like red double bloom flowers that don't stop until the first frost in fall. This plant can be grown in containers, attracts bees and butterflies, is drought and heat tolerant, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows!
Genus: Portulaca
Species: grandiflora
Variety: Red Moss Rose
Also Known As: Rose moss, Eleven o'clock, Mexican rose, Sun rose, Rock rose, and Moss-rose purslane.
Native to: Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Bolivia, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Paraguay, Uruguay
Introduced into: Alabama, Albania, Arizona, Arkansas, Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina, California, Cameroon, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Central African Repu, Chad, Colorado, Connecticut, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Delaware, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, East Aegean Is., Ecuador, Florida, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Great Britain, Guinea, Honduras, Illinois, India, Indiana, Iowa, Jawa, Kansas, Kentucky, Korea, Leeward Is., Louisiana, Marianas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Caledonia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nigeria, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Provinces, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pakistan, Pennsylvania, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rhode I., Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, South Carolina, South China Sea, South Dakota, Sri Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Tanzania, Tennessee, Texas, Togo, Transcaucasus, Uzbekistan, Vermont, Vietnam, Virginia, West Virginia, Windward Is., Wisconsin, Zaïre
Grown as: Annual. Perennial in zones 10 & 11.
Growth Habit: Aggressive. Grow in a container or pinch off wilted blooms to prevent the plant from self-seeding.
Maturity (Blooms): Early summer to late summer
Light: Full Sun. The plants require a minimum of 6 to 8-hours of sun each day
Water: Low
Feeder: Low
Soil Moisture: Low. The cylindrical foliage of the portulaca flower retains moisture very well, thus, regular watering is not needed.
Maintenance: Low
Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Attracts Bees, Butterflies.
Containers?: Yes. Portulaca plants will grow out and over the edges of the containers, making a grand display
Height: 6”
Spacing: 12”
Sow Depth: On soil surface.
USDA Zone: 4-9 Annual
10-11 Perennial
Produces: small, bright green, semi succulent foliage and a profusion of 1” rose-like red double bloom flowers that don't stop until the first frost in fall.
Fill a pot to within 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the rim with moist seed starting medium.
Firm the surface with the back of your fingers, then scatter seeds evenly over the medium.
Sprinkle a little additional medium over seeds but do not cover fully add a label with the plant name and date.
Cover the finished pots with plastic and set them in a warm bright place or under lights.
When: 6-8 weeks before end of frost season.
Temperature: 70 - 80F
Average Germ Time: 7-14 days
Light Required: Yes
Depth: Press gently into soil but do not cover
Moisture: Keep soil slightly moist, but not wet until germination
Soil: Well-drained, dry, pH 6.1-7.5
Feeder: Fertilize them in the early spring to boost the initial growth. Feed again in the mid-summer to prepare the plant with all the nutrients it needs for the dormancy period.
Pruning: Moss Rose plant care includes cutting back the plants during the summer to help them to stay neat and to extend their blooms into fall. Deadhead to prevent the plant from self-seeding and to continued blooming throughout the season.
Pest Control: Check portulaca often for aphids, tiny, green insects that gather on the undersides of the leaves or at the joints of the stems and leaves. Dislodge the aphids with a strong stream of water or spray the plant with insecticidal soap spray.
Culinary
Seed: raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used in soups etc, or can be added to cereals. The seed is very small and fiddly to utilize. Root - cooked.
Medicinal
Companion Planting
Problems
Suggested Varieties
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(Zinnia elegans ‘Polar Bear’)
Polar Bear Zinnia is an annual flower that is native to Mexico but can be found growing in the southern and eastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 2-3' and features hairy upright branching stems, 5” lance-shaped green leaves, and 4-5” bright white dahlia-type flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, earwigs, and hummingbirds, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!
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