Moss rose is a low-growing annual native to South America. The plant has succulent leaves that are fleshy and narrow and grows 8 inches tall and 1 foot wide forming a matt. The flowers are red, orange, yellow, white and other pastel colors that come in single, semi-double and double forms. The flowers do not open on cloudy or rainy days and close up from sundown to sun up. This plant has a high drought and heat tolerance and needs to be planted in well-drained sandy or rocky soils in full sun. Use Moss Rose in a rock or crevice garden, in the front of the border, in pots and hanging planters or allow to cascade down a wall. It will self-seed, without becoming invasive. Deadheading will deter self-seeding. They don't take well to transplanting and care should be given when handling seedlings. Problems: Aphids and slugs may occasionally be a problem. Poorly drained soils may lead to crown rot. VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course created in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Portulaca .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 8 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Dense; Horizontal; Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Whorled
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Long-lasting
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Cylindrical leaves appear in whorled clusters or alternate arrangement along the stems. Fleshy, needle-like, succulent, and reaching about an inch long. Margins may take on a reddish tinge in direct sunlight.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Edible; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Saucer
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Ruffled rose-like flowers are produced on the stem tips. They are held facing up above the foliage. The petals are heart-shaped and usually have five per flower, though double-flowered cultivars exist. They close at night and on cloudy days.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Green
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Rounded 1/8-1/4 inch diameter seed capsules develop. When ripe, they split open, spilling numerous tiny, rounded to elongate, iridescent blue-grey seeds
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish multi-branched, prostrate to slightly ascending stems.