Friday, October 5, 2012

Moss Rose, Annual of The Day

Portulaca grandiflora 'Sundial Peach'
Moss Rose, Eleven-O'Clock, Rose Moss, Sun Moss, Garden Portulaca, Sun Plant

Type Annual
Height 6" to 8" / 15cm to 20cm
Spread 8" to 12" / 20cm to 30cm
Growth rate Fast
Form Prostrate and spreading or horizontal
Exposure Full sun

Bloom Color Salmon
Bloom Time Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

Environment This plant tolerates drought and some salt.
This plant will grow in dry to moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color No change in fall color

This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes Can be sown under glass in the late winter. Seeds will also germinate outdoors if planted in the spring. Life of the individual flowers only lasts one day; deadhead for continuing blooms. The plant's height can be controlled by reducing the amount of water given. Flowers will close in the evening. Known for its succulent leaves and brightly colored blossoms, the 'Sundial' series has larger blooms that stay open longer than other cultivars. In particular, 'Sundial Peach' is one of the four bedding plants that was selected for the 1999 All-America Selections (AAS) award, thereby becoming the first portulaca to win an AAS award. It is heat and humidity tolerant, and AAS recommends it for garden "hot" spots. Its large, 2-inch coral blossoms are consistently found to be either semidouble or fully double.

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