Portulaca {moss rose}...

Could someone out here help me? I would like a voice of experience to tell me how to salvage seeds from my favorite hot Texas plant, Portulaca.

after the flowers are done-they make little cone looking heads the seeds are in there and tons just like poppies. they reseed well!!!

do you just plant the pods? or remove the seeds from the pod and plant them?

You let the little pods dry and just as they start to crack you collect the seeds. No you don't plant the whole pod. The seeds are very tiny. To plant them just sprinkle them on the surface and keep moist for a few days. I just planted some about 4 days ago and they are coming up already. I love these little flowers.

Nett,

Aren't they just a ray of sunshine when everything else starts to fade in the heat?

Jerrie

Jerri, I have a dumb question here. I am confused as to why people save/grow plants[the easy ones] from seeds. Especially when one as easy as moss rose ,grows wherever any little piece falls or grows from any little cuttiing?I grow alot of stuff from divisions.I am real new to seed-saving.But I am learning alot here on DG.And it is fun!..Jane
BTW,can you tell me where or what you save from a crepe myrtle?I saw alot of 'little beads' on them upon a visit.But didn't know if it was blooms ready to open or what? TIA

Yes, luvublooms, Portulaca is one of the fastest, self seeders around. The reason we save the seed is to trade with others all the different cultivers there are....and they are abundant. When you get hooked on these little darlings, you want to accquire as many different ones as is humanly possible.

Jerrie

My portulaca from last year reseeded like crazy but, funny enough, the different types were criss-crossed. Mango is in the bed near where a container of mixed colors were and mixed colors came up where the mango was last year. However, each patch is situated on either side of my front steps as if done on purpose...cute as could be!

The best luck I ever had with portulaca was when I grew them in the holes of concrete blocks that I used to border a flower bed. Must have been all that heat absorbed by the concrete! I remember my grandma always grew hers in concrete blocks. That and red geraniums in coffee cans :-)

my portulaca is from seeds that spread from last years plants. I was pleasantly surprised since last year was the first year that I planted it. What an unexpected surprise to discover the plants growing all on their own. I transplanted them since they were growing right in the middle of a walkway.

Would you ladies like to share some of your moss rose seeds????? PLEASE?

Cine...I would love to give you some of my seeds BUT I can't catch them on time!Think I will have to take the whole little cone and try to get some out. I will not give up!I am growing the double orange one now and just dying for that one to spread!...Jane ...It is a favorite here in Hot Texas!So great for containers!

Cine, email me. I have the Sundial Mix in Yellow, Orange, Hot Pink, Red, and White. The wind and birds move the
tiny seeds, as well as water, so the
colors often get moved or mixed.
They transplant well, too.

"eyes"

Luvublums, for those of us in colder climes, seeds (or buying flats in the spring) are the only way to go. Portulaca just don't hold up well under 3 feet of snow... ;o) And though they can reseed, I've never gotten very many that way.

I love Portulaca and I have a ?? This year instead of getting portulaca I bought Pursaline. Are they in the same family? They grow alot alike and both like the heat. I'm gonna see if I can gather some seed from these.
Thanks, Traci

Hi Traci,I have both .And I learned they are cousins.Leaf kinda similar.Both are beautiful! They do great in containers!And spread easy as pie.For saving seed ,I am so DUH when it comes to seed-saving.Still learning here.So lately,I have just been taking the whole thAng[cone] and letting it sit in envelope! It drops itself in there! SO easy!And I've heard alot about you from Ms.Bee [nice things about gardening friends]...Happy gardening!...Jane
BTW,I could send you some moss rose in Molly's box,so u would have both!

If anyone has any extra Portulaca seeds can I please have some for SASE.. any kind.. I love them all.
Thanks in advance,
Sugar_fl

Sugar, email me your address. I will send some ASAP.

Sugar_fl,I didn't see your post til today.I would've been glad to send you some .Next time......Jane

luvublooms, Could I have some of those moss roses? I have Torenia- mixed to trade. This is a delightful little plant that does well in the Texas heat. Mine have bloomed like crazy all summer. They also reseed well. I have supplied all my friends with little plants. Just found the seeds and started harvesting. Thanks

Hi there catlady,I'd love to trade for Torenia.Don't know what that is, but I like anything that blooms. E-mail me your addy and I will get seeds in mail.These are hot pinks.Barely starting on yellow and orange.

does anyone have the Kariba mix of portulaca. I would like to trade something for them.

I am a recent immigrant to Deep East Texas, and have found the beauty of the moss rose. I have a small bed that I am dedicating to them, got some to grow from seed this year, and that will be my beginning. Do they need mulch of some sort over the winter, or what?

Where you are located, and probably anywhere in Texas, no mulch is needed for portulaca or purslane. They will pop up everywhere when the soil gets warm enough. Sometimes you will find that the hybrid double ones you buy in baskets will not come back double, and might all be fuschia colored. If you want the same bloom, you need to overwinter a few cuttings inside, but it won't take long for them to multiply in the summer so a pot or basket will be a good start. Happy gardening.

I have lots of moss rose seeds for anyone who would like some. They are yellows, pinks, orange, white, and a few striped. I also have some poppies in pastels and stripes. These were trades or gifts and I do not have the I.D. on them, but if somone wants some just because they are lovely would be glad to trade.
Sue

Glory Be! I spent an hour collecting seeds yesterday! Thank you so much for telling me how!!

hugs

d