Rodrigo123456 · Public domain
About
A popular and highly adaptable ornamental plant, *Portulaca grandiflora* is known by many common names, including Mexican rose and moss rose. It is prized for its profusion of brightly colored, succulent flowers, making it ideal for container gardening and annual bedding.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant is a fast-growing annual, typically reaching up to 30 cm. It features thick, fleshy, alternately arranged leaves that are 2-3 millimeters wide and 20-25 millimeters long. The large, obovate flowers can reach a diameter of up to 4 cm, displaying five bright petals that are 15 to 26 millimeters long, and come in colors such as red, orange, pink, white, and yellow.
Distribution & habitat
Native to southern Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, it is also found in South Asia and widely spread in cities with old 18th- and 19th-century architecture in the Balkans.
Ecology
The species is visited by honeybees, which feed on its pollen and nectar. It is also noted for being one of the few plants that utilizes both C4 carbon fixation and Crassulacean acid metabolism pathways for photosynthesis.
Cultivation notes
It is widely grown as an ornamental plant in temperate climates, requiring ample sunlight and well-drained, sandy soils. It is noted for being extremely easy to grow and spreading readily, even growing between stones in old architecture.
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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