These beautiful flowers are called as Portulaca, Sun plant or rose moss scientifically known as Portulaca grandiflora belongs to family Portulaceae originated in South America. 

These plants are widely used to grow as ground covers,  in handing basket, in rock garden, as edges along the pathways, as flowering beds and to give mass effect in any garden. Regarding this beautiful plant, rose moss is low (10-15 cm) growing annual with a trailing habit, leaves are fleshy, small, pointed and usually cylindrical. Flowers are brilliant colour with various shades of white, light pink, dark pink, lavender pink, scarlet, yellow, salmon, red, purple and orange. Flower may be single and double in nature. These plants do well in bright sunny places rather than in shade. As the plant loves sun, flowers open late in the morning around 9 AM and close in afternoon 3 PM. More number of flowers are seen during summer season when compared to rainy season. These plants are grouped under summer annuals. Summer annuals do well under high temperatures. Usually the plant are annuals but there is a perennial portulaca with double flower and deep rose colour.

Plant care: It loves light well drained soil and sunny situation. Soils should be a mixture of garden manure, compost and a little of sand. Watering can be done alternate days in summer and once a week in winter season. Avoid too much watering as this will lead to rotting plants. As the plants are hardy, these need little attention. These plants can be propagated by seeds, root and stem cuttings. Root and stem cuttings do well when compared to seeds planting. Either you can sown the seeds directly or transplant them. Under Indian conditions sowing should done during march to august in plains and march to april in hills. If shallow pans are used for planting, then small broken brick piece or wood pieces are used to cover the soil to avoid soil erosion and rotting of plants. Portulaca do well throughout the year in mild climate places rather than in severe cold places. After planting portulaca takes 3 - 3½ to flower from the date of sowing.

Beautify your gardens, balcony or with hanging baskets at the entrance of house with these bright, colorful and  easy growing portulaca. If you are a beginner in gardening, you will definitely be happy to plant Portulaca