a.k.a Moss rose, Nine O’clock, Sun plant, Portulaca Grandiflora

It’s the perfect pretty flower for summers in North India. The flowers bloom little before nine and close a little after noon. It’s a tough plant that needs little moisture to thrive and bloom. It is heat tolerant, loves the sun that make other flowers wilt. It’s a hardy annual that produces vivid colored blooms in shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, white and pink. They look good in containers and hanging pots.

They grow from seeds but it’s best to plant cuttings. They are very easy to grow. Get a small stalk that is not flowering or about to flower and place it in the soil. They will grow and multiply very quickly. The plants prefer loose, sandy or loam soil with a well-draining composition. Water sparingly, if at all. Allow soil to dry out between waterings. Pinch off spent blooms to encourage flowering and to keep the plant tidy. Fertilize once or twice in mid or late summer.