Family: Portulacaceae
Author: Hook.
Bibliography: Bot. Mag. 56: t. 2885. 1829
Year: 1829
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Portulaca
Vegetable: False
Observations: Peru to Brazil and Argentina
Description
The Moss-rose, also known scientifically as Portulaca grandiflora, is a vibrant and versatile flowering plant renowned for its resilience and low-maintenance nature. This beloved plant is a member of the Portulacaceae family and has found its way into gardens and landscapes across the world, appreciated for its vivid blooms and ability to thrive in challenging environments.
Native to South America, the Moss-rose flourishes in areas stretching from Peru to Brazil and Argentina. Its capacity to adapt to such a broad geographical range showcases its hardiness and adaptability to various climatic conditions. This plant is particularly well-suited to regions with hot, sunny environments, where it can often be seen adding splashes of color to otherwise barren landscapes.
First scientifically described by botanist William Jackson Hooker in 1829, as documented in The Botanical Magazine (volume 56, plate 2885), the Moss-rose has since captured the admiration of botanists and gardeners alike. Its botanical name, Portulaca grandiflora, aptly reflects its grand and showy floral displays.
Moss-rose plants produce a profusion of bright, multi-colored flowers that can include shades of pink, red, yellow, white, and orange. These flowers open in the morning and close by the evening, and they are known to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, making them a beneficial addition to any garden ecosystem.
Due to its succulent nature, Portulaca grandiflora is extremely drought-tolerant, storing water in its thick, fleshy leaves. This characteristic makes it an ideal plant for xeriscaping and for gardeners in arid regions who need attractive, yet water-wise, plants. Additionally, Moss-roses can thrive in poor soil conditions and often require little more than ample sunlight to flourish.
Despite its robust nature, the Moss-rose is also gentle in its care requirements. It is easy to grow from seed, and once established, it needs minimal attention. Regular deadheading of spent blooms can encourage continuous flowering throughout its growing season, which typically spans from late spring to the first frost.
In conclusion, the Moss-rose (Portulaca grandiflora) is a delightful and durable plant that offers a burst of color and beauty with minimal care. Its historical and botanical significance, coupled with its ecological benefits and ease of maintenance, make it a cherished choice for both novice and seasoned gardeners.
Common Names
Fra: chevalier-d’onze-heures, pourpier à grandes fleurs
Eng: eleven-o’clock, mexican-rose, moss-rose, rose moss, rose-moss, sunplant, garden portulaca, moss-rose purslane, garden purslane, rose-moss-of-garden
Deu: großblütiger portulak, portulakröschen
Hun: kossuth-csillag, nagyvirágú porcsin
Ita: porcellana a fiori grandi
Por: onze-horas
Swe: praktportlak
Ces: šrucha velkokvětá
En: Moss-rose, Rose-moss, Sunplant, Mexican-rose, Eleven-o’clock, Rose moss, Moss-rose Purslane, Garden portulaca, Garden purslane, Rose-moss-of-garden, Moss Rose, Portulaca, Cultivated purslane, Sun Plant, Rose-moss [a purslane]
Cs: Šrucha velkokvětá
Nl: Portulakroosje, Sierpostelijn
Fr: Pourpier à grandes fleurs, Chevalier-d’onze-heures
De: Portulakröschen, Großblütiger Portulak
Hu: Kossuth-csillag, Nagyvirágú porcsin
It: Porcellana a fiori grandi, Porcellana grandiflora
Ja: Matsu-ba-botan
Ko: Chaesonghwa
Pt: Onze-horas
Es: Portulaca
Sv: Praktportlak
Synonyms
- Portulaca grandiflora var. typica (D.Legrand)
- Portulaca pilosa subsp. grandiflora ((Hook.) R.Geesink)
- Portulaca pilosa var. grandiflora ((Hook.) Kuntze)
Distribution
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Argentina South (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Albania (introduced)
- Arizona (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Assam (introduced)
- Azores (introduced)
- Bangladesh (introduced)
- Benin (introduced)
- Bulgaria (introduced)
- Burkina (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Cameroon (introduced)
- Caroline Is. (introduced)
- Cayman Is. (introduced)
- Central African Repu (introduced)
- Chad (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Cuba (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- Delaware (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- East Aegean Is. (introduced)
- Ecuador (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- Gambia (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Ghana (introduced)
- Great Britain (introduced)
- Guinea (introduced)
- Honduras (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- India (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Inner Mongolia (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Jawa (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Leeward Is. (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Mexico Central (introduced)
- Mexico Gulf (introduced)
- Mexico Northeast (introduced)
- Mexico Southeast (introduced)
- Mexico Southwest (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- Nevada (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New Mexico (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Nigeria (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- North Dakota (introduced)
- Northern Provinces (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Pakistan (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Puerto Rico (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- Romania (introduced)
- Saudi Arabia (introduced)
- Sicilia (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South China Sea (introduced)
- South Dakota (introduced)
- South European Russi (introduced)
- Sri Lanka (introduced)
- Tadzhikistan (introduced)
- Tanzania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Togo (introduced)
- Transcaucasus (introduced)
- Uzbekistan (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Vietnam (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Windward Is. (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
- Zaïre (introduced)
Additional Images
Bark
Taken Aug 23, 2018 by odt (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 27, 2021 by Sabin Poenariu (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 30, 2021 by jean-michel Dubois (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 12, 2021 by Tucto Carol (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 21, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flower
Taken Feb 27, 2020 by Henriques Ana Rosa (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 21, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 13, 2019 by Heinz Gass (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 27, 2017 by Edilene Edilene (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 7, 2018 by Aimee Jenkins (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Mar 1, 2021 by Galucio Ellen (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 23, 2018 by Andres Hernández (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 14, 2021 by Antonio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 21, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 6, 2017 by Rob (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Nov 11, 2020 by Gomez Zuni (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 29, 2019 by Eddie Stegeman (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 14, 2021 by Manū (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 15, 2022 by Martin Verweij (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 25, 2019 by Gregory Decanter (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Gothika (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 29, 2021 by Paulo Couto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 10, 2020 by Antúnez Giovana (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 30, 2017 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 4, 2017 by Philippe Fort (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Oct 22, 2022 by M. Hedayat (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 9, 2019 by agathe dubrulle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 17, 2022 by Joana Maria Gonçalves (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Forest & Kim Starr (cc-by)
Taken Jan 14, 2020 by Chee Keong Chan (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3084700)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:208592-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Portulaca grandiflora Hook.)
Specifications
Growth habit>: Forb/herb