Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora) also known as Love for a while, Bella at eleven, Silk Flower, Mañanitas or Flower Purslane, is a very popular annual flowering plant that is sold in the spring. These plants, native to South America, reach a height of between 10 and 20 cm and spread out to create a dense mat, learn to propagate, cultivate Portulaca and its care.
Contents
Basic data
- Common name: Love for a Moment, Bella at Eleven, Silk Flower, Mañanitas or Flower Purslane
- Botanical name: Portulaca grandiflora
- Plant type: annual flowering succulent
- adult size: 10-20 cm high, 15-30 cm wide
- Sun exposure: completed
- Soil type: sandy, well-drained
- Soil pH: from neutral to acid
- Flowering period: From early summer to frost
- Flower color: white, orange, yellow, red, pink
- Native region: South America
- Toxicity: Toxic to cats and dogs
How to Propagate Portulaca
Cuttings (stems)
Like most succulents, portulacas can be easily propagated from cuttings. In fact, cuttings root easily and most gardeners have great success with propagation methods. Here’s how:
Using sharp, clean scissors, take a cutting from a mature, established “mother” plant that has flowered for at least one season. The cutting should be about 10 centimeters long and have at least one node.
Remove all lower leaves and flowers from the cutting, leaving a few leaves on top.
Place the cutting in a small container of water while you prepare the rest of the materials.
In a small pot, mix a moist but well-drained mixture of sand, soil and peat moss.
Bury the cut side stem a minimum of two inches deep in the ground.
Cover the pot with a plastic bag or some other means to trap moisture.
Move the cutting to a location that receives bright, filtered light and maintains a temperature between 18 and 25 degrees C. Water occasionally, until the soil is moist.
The cuttings should root in about two weeks, after which they can be cared for like typical portulacas.
Grow portulaca from seed
If you are growing portulaca from seed, you can start them indoors six to eight weeks before the expected last frost date, or plant them directly in the ground after the last frost in your area.
Put the seeds in slightly moist soil and cover them lightly: they need light to germinate.
Keep the soil slightly moist until the seedlings emerge (germination should take about two weeks), then water the plants only when the top of the soil is dry.
Keep seedlings near a bright window if growing them indoors.
grow portulaca
Portulacas generally flower from spring until the first fall frosts without the need to strip them.
As annuals, they die back at the end of the growing season, but produce seeds that can sprout and sprout the following year.
Light
Portulaca needs six to eight hours of full sun most days for optimal appearance and flowering.
If you try to grow portulaca in a shady area, they won’t produce flowers, and those that do probably won’t open.
Ground
These plants thrive in sandy and rocky soils, do not need soil rich in organic matter but do require excellent drainage.
If your garden bed has clay soil, grow your portulaca in pots instead of trying to improve the drainage of the clay soil. Soil that retains too much water can easily kill the plant.
Irrigation
It needs little moisture, although it is not as drought tolerant as cacti. The plants tolerate dry spells, but flowering is usually best with some moisture in the soil (well drained).
Plan to water the plant if it has a long period without rain; As a rule of thumb, one deep watering per week during the hot summer should suffice.
Temperature
Prefers heat and humidity. Tolerates a cool, wet spring as long as there is no frost.
However, the best growth (and flowering) will not occur until the heat of summer arrives. It is frost sensitive and will die in winter, probably with the first frost (if not sooner).
Past
Moss roses can tolerate poor soil, so they don’t normally need compost.
However, feeding the plant a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at planting time can help promote healthy growth and abundant flowering.
You can also fertilize twice during the plant’s growing season, this time using a phosphorus-rich mix for heavier blooms.
Portulaca care
Cut
At best, portulacas need light pruning, and only if you live in an area where they can survive year-round.
The best time to do this is early spring, before new growth begins to emerge.
Remove any shoots that appear dead or diseased; You can also thin out a dense plant to improve air circulation, which can reduce the risk of fungal diseases. It is not necessary to remove faded flowers from the plant.
Plagues and diseases
Purslanes are not affected by any notable pest or disease problems, although aphids can occasionally bother the plants, especially in the spring.
In the case of aphids, a sticky substance can be observed on the leaves, as well as yellowing and wilting of the foliage. Spray affected plants with insecticidal soap (neem oil) to treat the problem. Look: 5 recipes to fight aphids naturally.
How to make portulaca bloom
If you’re having trouble getting your moss roses to flower (or aren’t producing enough blooms for your taste), the problem is almost always soil moisture levels.
Moss roses don’t like damp or soggy soil, and planting them in a medium that retains too much moisture will cause them to stop blooming.
Try reducing the frequency of watering; You can also transplant your portulaca into a container, which naturally drains faster than soil. Additionally, clay or terracotta pots can help absorb excess moisture.
Another very important factor for your portulaca to thrive is making sure it gets the right amount of sunlight.
They like bright, warm conditions, and even an hour or two of shade can mean the difference between abundant blooms and just a few buds. Make sure they get at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day.
It may also be interesting to read: How to plant, grow petunias and their care.
Can portulaca be grown indoors?
Purslanes can be grown indoors, but should be transplanted outdoors when weather permits. Portulacas do not store well indoors long term.
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