How to Grow Portulaca
Portulaca At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 5°C
Plant Family
Portulacaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow about 1 week after your last spring frost, once the soil is warm. Mix the dust-fine seeds with a little sand, scatter them and press them in without covering, since they need light to sprout. They sprout in 7 to 14 days: thin them (pull the extras) so plants stand about 20 cm apart.
Portulaca, also called moss rose, is a low, spreading plant for the hottest, driest spot you have. Its flowers open in bright sun and close on cloudy days and in shade. It often drops seed and comes back on its own the next year.
When To Start
Portulaca needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Portulaca?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Portulaca Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Portulaca Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow portulaca outdoors in your hottest, sunniest spot
1 week after your last frost· every year
Enjoy portulaca flowers, and let some drop seed for next year
60 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your portulaca seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your portulaca is settling in! It loves heat and sun, so let the soil dry out between waterings.
About 30 days after you plant it
Portulaca flowers open in bright sun and close in shade, so a sunny spot gives you the best show.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Portulaca's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
0 cm
Seeding Depth
20 cm
Plant Spacing
30 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Give portulaca full, blazing sun all day, since the flowers stay shut in shade.
- 2Plant it in poor, sandy or gritty soil that drains fast and skip the compost, as rich soil makes it weak.
- 3Water only when the soil is dry, because too much water rots it.
- 4Skip feeding altogether, since it flowers best when a little hungry.
- 5It thrives in hot pots, hanging baskets and cracks along paths where other flowers struggle.
- 6Pests rarely bother it, and a spray of water knocks off any aphids.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
15 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Blooms all summer; flowers open in bright sun and close in shade/cloud
How to Harvest
- 1Enjoy the flowers on sunny days all summer long.
- 2Faded flowers drop on their own, so there is no need to remove them.
- 3Trim long, straggly stems in midsummer to keep the plants full.
- 4Push the trimmings into dry soil to make new plants for more pots.
- 5In late summer, root a few cuttings to keep on a sunny windowsill through winter.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Leave some flowers to form tiny cup-shaped pods, which open at the top when ripe to show dust-fine black seeds. Snip the pods as they turn brown, before they spill, and tip them into a paper bag. Double flowered and hybrid F1 kinds may not grow true, but plain kinds come back much the same. Dry the seeds for a few days and store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep a few years.
Seed Production
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