Moss Rose (Eleven-O’Clock,
Rose Moss, Sun Plant)
Portulaca grandiflora. PORTULACACEAE.
Planting and Growing Moss Rose
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow moss rose in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of moss rose
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for moss rose
- Season of bloom and planting time for moss rose
- When, how deep, and where to plant moss rose
- How to plant moss rose
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of moss rose
- Landscape and container uses of moss rose
- Comments about moss rose and its features
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Growing Moss Rose
Many cultivars of low, spreading annual herbs, to 8 n. (20 cm) tall and 18 in. (45 cm) wide, with succulent, branching stems. Alternate, smooth, green, fleshy, needlelike leaves, to 1 in. (25 mm) long.
Common cultivars include Portulaca grandiflora ‘Afternoon Delight’, ‘Cloudbeater Mix’, ‘Sundial’, and ‘Swan’.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
![023-flower Flower on plant logo glyph Copyright ©2020 Used under grant of license from license holder. All rights reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/023-flower.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Many showy, orange, pink, red, white, yellow, old-fashioned-rose-like, shiny-petaled, single or double flowers, to 1 in. (25 mm) wide, in early summer–late autumn. Blooms close in late afternoon.
Best Climates
![3-Conditions_006-cloud Glyph icon sun and clouds](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-Conditions_006-cloud.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Plant as tender annual, zones 3–8; self-seeding, zones 9–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
![4-Soil_002-soil Glyph icon plants and soil profile. Copyright © 2019, 2020 Dolezal & Associates. Used by grant of license from copyright holder. All Rights Reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-Soil_002-soil.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Damp, well-drained, sandy soil or loam. Fertility: Average–low. 6.5–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
![010S1-H1_Plant_Shrub Glyph icon planting shrub in garden landscape. Copyright © 2019, 2020 Dolezal & Associates. Used by grant of license from copyright holder. All Rights Reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/010S1-H1_Plant_Shrub.png?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Spring in full sun, 6–8 in. (15–20 cm) apart, after frost hazard has passed. Start seed indoors 4–6 weeks before final frost for early blooms; transplant when frost hazard has passed.
Plant mid-season to replace, refresh or renew color in flower beds for autumn.
Proper Care
![011T2-H1_Care_Tree-2 Glyph icon gardening care, watering can and water drops](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/011T2-H1_Care_Tree-2.png?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Easy. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Avoid fertilizing. Heat, sun tolerant. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Plant
![024-sprout Hands with young plant logo or glyph. Copyright ©2020 FlatIcon. All Rights Reserved. Used under license from licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/024-sprout.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Good choice for banks, beds, containers, edgings, ground covers, massed plantings, slopes in cottage, heritage, rock gardens. Pest and disease resistant.