Large-flowered purslane (lat. Portulaca grandiflora) is one of the most beautiful varieties of this crop in ornamental horticulture, grown as an annual.
A low plant with bright multi-colored flowers forms a lush colored rug on the site, which will delight the eye with its beauty from the beginning of summer until the very frost. The article describes in detail the variety of large-flowered purslane, as well as its best varieties, gives advice on growing the plant.
Description
Purslane large-flowered is a low plant, reaching 30 cm, with creeping, occasionally raised stems. The shoots are fleshy, smooth, with small hairs in knots, covered with a wax coating, which prevents the evaporation of water and contributes to its accumulation. The shoots are fleshy, smooth, with small hairs in knots, covered with a wax coating, which prevents the evaporation of water and contributes to its accumulation. The color of the stems is light brown.
The leaf blades are light green, cylindrical, slightly flattened, sessile, fleshy, spirally arranged in the lower part of the stem, with mostly opposite foliage in the upper part.
The flowers are capitate, 5 cm in diameter, formed in nodules or at the tops of the shoots. Perianth leaves look very beautiful, but they open only in bright sunlight. The color of the petals can be white, purple, yellow, raspberry, red, coral. The central part of the flowers is rich yellow. Some varieties have bicolor petals.
The fruit is a spherical capsule with seeds. Opens transversely.
Varieties
From the large-flowered purslane, simple, double and semi-double varieties are bred, the color of which is very diverse. The most effective of them are described below.
“Tequila” – Terry variety that blooms throughout the summer season. The bush reaches 5 cm in height and grows up to 50 cm in width, forming a flowering curtain;
“Margarita” – is a compact, fast-growing and abundantly flowering bush. Flowers with terry petals of various colors;
“Long Summer” – purslane with lush petals, which is valued for long and intense flowering. The bush grows up to 15 cm. The buds open only on sunny days;
“Cherry” – creeping plant no more than 12 cm high. Burgundy flowers. They bloom on fine days. This variety is photophilous, not able to form buds even with slight shading;
This variety is photophilous, not able to form buds even with slight shading; “Merry round dance” The diameter of the opened flowers is 4 – 5 cm. The shades of the buds are varied. A bright yellow, pink, red palette prevails;
“Scheherazade” – another of the most spectacular varieties, with simple flowers with a diameter of 4 cm. It blooms in July. Flowering can be observed on clear days.
Cultivation
New purslane bushes are obtained using seeds and cuttings. When growing purslane large-flowered from seeds, there is a risk that maternal genes will not be transmitted to young plants, therefore, if it is important to obtain the same specimen, cuttings should be resorted to. To do this, a shoot 12–15 cm long is cut from the bush. The cut is dried, the leaves located at a distance of 2 cm from it are removed. The stalk is placed in water or wet sand, covered with polyethylene or a jar, cleaned in a warm, bright room. The roots of the cuttings will form in 3 to 4 weeks.
When growing from seeds, seedlings are first obtained from seed. This work is carried out in mid-March, so that in June the bushes begin to bloom in the garden. The substrate for seedlings should be light, nutritious. Tanks for sowing are filled with soil, moisten it. Seeds are pressed into the ground to a depth of 5 mm. From above, the crops are covered with a film in order to create greenhouse conditions for them in which they will develop well.
From above, the crops are covered with a film in order to create greenhouse conditions for them in which they will develop well. The greenhouse is ventilated once a day for several hours. Sprouts should hatch in 7 days. The film is removed after germination. Grown plants with the first formed pair of leaves dive separately into disposable cups. Put in a well-lit place. As the earthen clod dries, the seedlings are watered. Feed once every 7 – 10 days with any mineral complex.
Grown bushes are planted on the site in the second half of May or early summer. By this time, the return frosts will have receded. The interval between plants when planting should be at least 20 cm.
For planting light-loving purslane, open areas are chosen without a hint of the slightest shadow, otherwise it will not bloom (with the exception of some varieties). The soil for this crop does not matter, since under natural conditions it grows even on rocky, nutrient-poor areas.
Care
When growing purslane large-flowered, minimal care is required to maintain the decorativeness of the bush.
Watering. Due to the fact that the leaves and shoots of the succulent accumulate and retain water, it should be watered only during hot dry periods. Excessive watering will quickly lead to flower rot.
Topdressing. Fertilizer should be applied during the summer period once a month, using mineral complexes for garden flowers or succulents.
Other care. Each flower of this culture blooms for one day, then withers and dies. In order for the rug to look neat, faded buds must be removed immediately.
Wintering. Purslane does not tolerate sub-zero temperatures, therefore, in order to preserve the plant, it is dug up in early September and transplanted into a container. For the winter they take them to a cool room with fairly bright lighting. During the cold season, the succulent is watered as the soil dries. With the onset of spring, cuttings are cut from the bush and planted in separate pots.
The photo shows how the large-flowered purslane looks on a flower bed in the garden in combination with other ornamental plants:
