Purslane gardening nature and people created in order to cover the soil with a bright floral carpet that does not require special care. Creeping bushes survive in hot climates and droughts, are not afraid of sudden changes in temperature, can reproduce by self-sowing and are able to occupy all the free space in the garden for 2-3 seasons.
Origin and appearance of purslane flowers
A native of South America for a long time settled in Europe as a popular succulent, decorating gardens and summer cottages. In the time of Hippocrates, leathery thick stems and portulaca leaves were used to heal wounds, treat snake bites, decoctions were prepared from them and used for insomnia.
What does a purslane look like (flowers)
It has long been known about purslane in India and China, in the Caucasus and southern Russia, in the Mediterranean and Australia. In some countries, the flower is known by the names of dandur, rugs, gulbier. The botanical community assigned the flower the Latin name "Portúlaca" and assigned it to the Portulakov family.
How the purslane blooms
The decorative purslane has needle-shaped bright green fleshy leaves, green or pinkish thick stems 10 to 45 cm long, large double or simple flowers in the form of a funnel. The color of the flowers is diverse, nature has not regretted the most beautiful shades for this plant: from snow-white to fuchsia.
Purslane flowers bloom in June, the flowering of grassy bushes is continuous, lasting until the first frost. The buds open in sunny clear weather. The lush flowering of each flower lasts only one day - from morning to dusk. Then the flower fades, the next day others bloom. A seed box is formed in place of the flower.
Purslane in a pot
Purslane: perennial or annual
Purslane in the harsh Russian climate in open ground grows as an annual plant. If in the south of the country it can overwinter in the form of a perennial shrub, then in Siberia the same variety will need to be re-grown annually. Therefore, to argue that a particular purslane is an annual or perennial plant is possible only with certain reservations.
Hybrid purslane - a flower grown as a perennial will grow for several years in a single pot, but its bloom, even if artificially illuminated to increase the length of the day, will not be as colorful as that of the same growing in open ground.
Note! Florists use varieties cultivated in an apartment to preserve it for spring cuttings and for subsequent transplantation into the garden.
Purslane annual or perennial is able to winter without flowering in an apartment in a pot, and then bloom on the windowsill with the onset of summer. Some indoor hybrids are kept in the house in autumn and winter, and with the onset of heat, they are put out into the street or taken out to the flowerbed right in the landing tanks.
Purslane flowering
Popular varieties of flower purslane
The picturesque terry purslane is widely used in landscape design. Arbor varieties of portulaca perennial with flowering shoots planted in pots or flowerpots adorn arbors and walls of houses, balconies. Pots with large-flowered purslane are used on terraces and displayed on windows.
Terry Purslane
Colorful shrubs, the flowers of which are collected in terry inflorescences resembling roses or miniature peonies, are very popular among gardeners. Plants of this species have spiky tubular leaves, a spindle-shaped branched root system. Flowers love warmth and a lot of light, but can bloom in cloudy weather.
The most popular of terry representatives is the variety Pink terry pink. Terry hybrid with orange dark core Cream, bright orange Mango hybrid have proven themselves. Flamenco and Cherry hybrids have long flowering and fluffy inflorescences of various shades.
Speckled pink flower
Purslane large-flowered
You can fully show the beauty of large-flowered ampoule bushes of purslane when equipping pergolas - garden arches of flowers. In order to grow and then constantly admire the way large representatives of the genus Portúlaca bloom, many indoor varieties are planted in spacious balcony containers. Not only do lovers of beauty create a celebration before their eyes, they do not forget that in this way it is possible to show purslane flowers in all its splendor.
Large-flowered species of Portulaca Grandiflora include non-double and semi-double varieties and hybrids of white flowers, Splendens, Sanglo, Pun, Royal, Extravaganza, Illusion, Amber Coast, Scheherazade. The flowers of these plants are in diameter from 4 to 7 cm.
Ampel Purslane
Cultivation of purslane flowers in the open ground
The main condition for the successful flowering of multi-colored rugs is good lighting. Plants are not afraid of the hot sun of the tropics. In warm regions of temperate climate, mixtures of purslane grow well on the southern slopes of the alpine hills, along curbs and paths, on elevated lawns. Shadow carry only certain species of Portúlaca.
For your information! In some countries, purslane is grown as an agricultural crop, used in cooking, in medicine, for the production of cosmetics.
Planting seeds in the ground
Natural reproduction of purslane by seeds in the soil is inherent in weed species of plants, which are often used as vegetable garden crops that do not require any maintenance and watering. Cultivars propagated by seeds only in a warm area. After all, thin weak seedlings stop their growth already at 10 ° C and can die in return frosts.
It takes about two weeks to germinate the seeds and shoots. The growing season before flowering is also long - at least two months. Therefore, in order for the plants to develop, and the buds to open with the onset of heat, it is necessary to sow the seeds in the soil already in late February, early March. Not everywhere at this time warm weather is established.
If the sowing of portulaca seeds was nevertheless carried out very early, care should be taken to ensure that the seedlings do not freeze. The beds with them are kept under the film until stable average positive temperatures occur.
Note! If the seeds are sown in open ground in May after the end of the night cold, then flowering will occur in the second half of summer.
Where and in what soil is better to plant purslane
Purslane is not picky about soils, grows on any, but it will bloom abundantly and brightly on light sandy sandstones. Purslane and rocky soils are suitable. On clay and heavy dense soils without arrangement of drainage, it grows poorly, because it does not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the basal zone. Portulaca is not suitable for too fertile and peaty soils.
Bright carpet of flowers
Growing seedlings
To obtain seedlings at home, seeds are sown since the end of February. At this time, the length of daylight does not yet correspond to the normal conditions for plant growth, so lamps are prepared in advance for highlighting seedlings and a place on the southern or eastern windowsill.
Seating tanks are prepared - low plastic, wooden boxes and pots. They are washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, filled with ready-made soil substrate and drainage.
As the soil, you can use a mixture of washed dried sand with the addition of turf or sheet land. The soil is well moistened a few days before the start of work, it is allowed to dry so that at the time of sowing it does not stick together, and the top layer is slightly tamped.
Planting seeds for seedlings at home
Purslane seeds are very small, in self-sowing conditions they spill out onto the soil surface and germinate well in the light. At the same time, germination is maintained up to 30 years. Therefore, when sown in a box or a pot, the seeds are not buried in the soil, but only slightly sprinkled with a thin layer of dry sand. Then they are sprayed from the spray gun and covered with transparent plastic and glass to create the conditions of a mini-greenhouse with constantly moistened ground.
Note! Seedlings may not emerge amicably; the first seedlings will be the strongest.
Seating tanks until the appearance of sprouts can be in a dark, warm room. After the first green loops appear, boxes with seedlings are taken out to a well-lit place with a temperature of at least 20-22 ° С. The film or glass is periodically lifted, if necessary, the sprouts are sprayed with standing water at room temperature.
If the seedlings begin to stretch, increase the duration of the period of daylight and slightly lower the air temperature. You will have to take care of young plants with attention, avoiding hypothermia, overheating or overmoistening of the soil.
With thickened crops, plants will not receive the amount of air and light necessary for the normal development. In this case, after the appearance of 2-3 normal leaves, the sprouts dive into more capacious containers. Seedlings are deepened by cotyledonous leaves, making sure that the plants do not suffer from a lack of moisture.
Important! At the initial stage of development, with strong soil moisture, seedlings can become ill with a black leg. Therefore, the spraying of the soil is carried out after the top layer dries to a depth of 2-3 mm.
Purslane Seedlings after the Dive
Pre-hardening seedlings
Hardening is carried out outdoors in sunny weather. You can use balconies or open areas of the garden for this. The first time boxes with seedlings are taken out for 5-10 minutes. Gradually, over 10 days, the duration of the plants in vivo is increased to 5-6 hours.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Planting seedlings at a permanent place of cultivation is carried out after the occurrence of suitable climatic conditions. Before planting purslane seedlings, organic or mineral fertilizer containing nitrogen is added to the planting pits two weeks before planting. This will facilitate the processes of rooting and vegetative development of purslane.
Before planting, the soil is moistened. A distance of 15-20 cm is maintained between the plants. If the plants are overgrown, they are deepened so that 2/3 of the stem are on the surface of the earth. After planting, seedlings conduct regular surface irrigation.
Seedlings before planting in the ground
Garden Flower Care
The decorative purslane belongs to the soil-covering flowering herbs that prevent other herbs from developing. Caring for them does not require regular weeding, loosening the soil, frequent top dressing. The plant will need only watering and supervision so that the ripened seeds do not fall uncontrollably on the soil.
Watering mode
Purslane in the open ground will grow without regular watering. If the plant is planted in pots or hanging flower gardens, then you can not do without constant moistening of the soil substrate. Flowers are watered as the soil dries, the water should be at room temperature. To prevent rotting of the roots, watering is not carried out in the evening. The best option would be to spray the leaves after sunset. In the mornings, radical soil moisture is carried out.
Note! Excessive watering is the main cause of death of purslane bushes.
How to feed a purslane for lush flowering
Purslane in nature grows on depleted soils and does not require any top dressing. But in natural conditions it does not bloom so brightly, does not tie as many buds as there are in the garden near the house with constant supervision of the gardener. Fertilizer applied to the planting pit is usually enough for the plant to release the first buds. With the beginning of flowering, the necessary fertilizing with complex fertilizers for flowering plants.
Is it possible to save purslane in winter
In a temperate climate in winter, it is impossible to keep purslane in the open ground. The plant can be transplanted into a pot and put on a warm loggia or window sill in a room above the battery. To the location of the flower should be access to scattered sunlight for at least 12 hours. Conduct regular watering with warm water. In the spring, the plant is again planted in open ground.
In order to grow and not lose the beloved species of purslane, not to acquire new planting material, use the technique of spring cuttings. To do this, you will need to dig a purslane, its further cultivation will go on in a house or apartment. The bush is transplanted with a lump of land into a pre-prepared flower garden. In early spring, under suitable conditions, the plant is cut.
The bush is cut into branches up to 10 cm long, the lower leaves are torn from them. Germination of the roots is carried out either in water or in wet sand.
Note! To guarantee the appearance of root shoots, drugs that stimulate the growth of plants are used: root, epin or water, in which the roots of the willow branch were taken.
How to propagate a purslane
In addition to propagation by cuttings, seed crops are used to grow seedlings or directly to the place of constant cultivation. Growing, breeding and caring for purslane is not considered too complicated, but still require some skills and knowledge.
How to collect and preserve purslane seeds
The seeds of hybrid plants should not be used, their seeds do not retain the signs of maternal bushes. Varietal flower seeds are harvested until the testes crack. Ready-to-open boxes turn dark. They are torn off when they are just beginning to turn brown, placed in paper or gauze bags or pouches. Sprouted seeds are stored in paper bags at room temperature, normal humidity, without access to sunlight.
Purslane Seed Boxes
Problems encountered when growing purslane
The difficulties that a purslane can create, landing and caring for which in the open ground were not qualified enough, can be very serious. A plant planted in the shade will have faded rare flowers, and leaves will begin to turn yellow. Changing anything is possible only by replanting bushes to a suitable place well lit by the sun. Why yellowing of the leaves occurs, you need to decide after examining the bushes.
Why do portulac leaves turn yellow
Yellowed portulaca leaves may indicate that the plant must either be fed, because the flowers and fruits took nutrients from the leaves, or not to fill the roots with plenty of water. In the latter case, the roots rot and cannot lift food from the soil to the leaves. The plant will look lethargic, slow down its development.
Bright Purslane
How can you rid purslane of pests
The leaves and stems of Portúlaca are damaged by mealybugs, aphids, and whitefly larvae. To repel insects use decoctions of stalks of garlic, tobacco dust. A few drops of birch tar are diluted in 10 liters of water and sprayed with plants before sunset. For the destruction of pests, systemic action insecticides are used. When used, they follow the manufacturer's instructions and use protective equipment without fail.
Purslane, blooming in the garden or growing as a vegetable crop, is a decoration of a personal plot or a tasty and healthy food product. But a weed under the same name becomes a malicious foe, for a long fight it takes a lot of time and effort. Therefore, before planting a purslane, it should be done so that useful and beautiful plants do not turn into weeds.
