Summer Color: Moss Rose, Purslane
by Chris Winslow
'What can I plant that's easy to grow, and will provide me with
some beautiful summer color through the hot months ahead?' This
is always a popular question for us at the nursery.
I always direct folks to some of those tough and beautiful summer
annuals that bloom constantly until fall and even beyond . . . and
do this with little care or water. Top of my list are the succulents pur-
slane, and moss rose (portulaca).
These low-growing groundcovers flourish during our hot summers.
As with all succulents, they store water in their leaves and can handle
long periods without water. They flower during the day, and come
in a multitude of pretty colors and flower forms.
Purslane flower form is usually single petal (unlike the double- pet-
als of most rose flowers). The largest of purslane flowers are the 2
inch wide Yubi series.
A new series of purslane is called Cinderella. The flowers are small,
and are an attractive bi-color of pinkish-red with yellow.
Purslane, which looks a little bit like a miniature jade plant, is edible
and has been hailed as a superfood by nutritionists for the high levels
of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and beta carotene found in the
leaves.
The moss roses are almost always double-flowered. The largest are
the Marguerita series, which comes in pink, red, orange, yellow, white,
and the bi-color peppermint - a red and white combo.
Another pretty one is known as Spanish moss. It has large, single
flowers of deep purple fuchsia with an occasional flower that’s
mixed with white.
Besides being planted as a showy groundcover in the landscape, pur-
slane and moss rose look good in hanging baskets, and with mixed-
succulents in cactus bowls. They can cascade over the edges and
create the perfect basket.
Finally, as an added benefit, if you forget to water them at the beginn-
ing of a hot and windy day, they’ll still look okay when you get home.
Happy gardening everyone!
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(We have purslane and moss rose: $1.59 for a small pot. Hanging
baskets of purslane: $16.)
