Purslane Is A Bright Floral Rug. Care, Cultivation, Reproduction. Terry, Garden, Large-flowered. Flower. Photo

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Purslane Is A Bright Floral Rug. Care, Cultivation, Reproduction. Terry, Garden, Large-flowered. Flower. Photo
Purslane Is A Bright Floral Rug. Care, Cultivation, Reproduction. Terry, Garden, Large-flowered. Flower. Photo

Video: Purslane Is A Bright Floral Rug. Care, Cultivation, Reproduction. Terry, Garden, Large-flowered. Flower. Photo

Video: Purslane Is A Bright Floral Rug. Care, Cultivation, Reproduction. Terry, Garden, Large-flowered. Flower. Photo
Video: Carpet of Color 2024, March
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The name of this plant comes from the Latin word 'portula' - collar and is associated with the nature of the opening of the seed capsule of the purslane. Our florists call this creeping plant with bright flowers "rugs".

Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)
Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)

Content:

  • Distribution and use of purslane
  • Features of growing large-flowered purslane
  • Purslane care
  • Planting purslane seeds
  • Popular types of purslane

Distribution and use of purslane

As a field weed, it is found in warm areas of central Europe, in the Americas. Part of it is cultivated in vegetable gardens and orchards. Purslane was a popular plant during the Middle Ages in Europe, especially England. In the time of Hippocrates, purslane was used to heal wounds, with bites of poisonous snakes and insomnia, and in the Middle Ages it was considered "blessed" by the Arabs.

In decorative gardening, the large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora), originally from South America, has become widespread. It is a perennial creeping plant 20 cm high, cultivated as an annual. Most often used in rocky gardens and curbs. Leaves are fleshy, small, cylindrical, green or slightly reddish. The flowers are cup-shaped, simple, of 5 petals fused together, or double, of medium size (diameter 2.5-3 cm), with various colors: white, cream, yellow, bright orange, pink and red with various shades.

The varieties with double flowers are especially appreciated, for example "Double Mix". The name of the variety "Belotsvetkovy" speaks for itself - the plant has white flowers. Splendens flowers have a purple hue. Known cultivars with two-colored corollas.

Purslane is a great container plant and is placed in outdoor vases, pots, hanging baskets, balcony and window boxes.

The use of large-flowered purslane in garden design is extremely diverse. It is planted in flower beds (often in carpet flower beds), on ridges, flower beds, dry slopes, retaining stone walls, at the joints of concrete slabs in rockeries. On dry soils, purslane can replace the lawn.

Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)
Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)

Features of growing large-flowered purslane

Location

Purslane is sown in the most luminous place, otherwise the plant will not bloom. In indoor conditions, sills of the southern direction are suitable for purslane. Feels great in balcony and window boxes, in the fresh air.

Temperature

Large-flowered purslane is a heat-resistant plant. When the temperature drops, there are also no problems, since the species is grown as an annual.

Watering

Purslane is watered regularly - immediately after sowing during the entire growing season, especially in hot and dry periods, while avoiding stagnation of water.

Diseases and pests

In general, representatives of the genus Purslane are resistant to diseases and pests. Occasionally, plants are attacked by the fungus Albugo portulaceae, which leads to the appearance of spots on the leaves and deformation of the shoots. The damaged parts are removed and then treated with one of the copper-containing fungicidal preparations.

Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)
Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)

Buying seeds

The seeds are purchased in late winter or early spring, carefully checking the integrity of the bag and the expiration date. In flower nurseries and horticultural centers, you can also find seedlings in cups. Choose compact plants with no signs of decay.

Purslane care

Lighting for purslane needs bright, the plant needs direct sun - this is the key to beautiful flowering. In indoor conditions, sills of the southern direction are suitable for purslane. Feels great in balcony and window boxes, in the fresh air.

The plant prefers warm conditions - for successful growth, temperatures around 20..26 ° C are suitable.

Purslane does not need frequent watering, however, plants in containers and pots are still recommended to be watered moderately but regularly.

The plant practically does not need feeding - it is one of the few ornamental plants that thrive on poor lands.

Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)
Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)

Planting purslane seeds

It is better to sow purslane in March. However, sometimes in the floricultural literature earlier sowing dates (3rd decade of February) and later (1st decade of April) are indicated. Purslane is sown at a temperature of 20..25 ° C and the brightest lighting in mini-greenhouses. On a sunny day, the temperature in the greenhouse can reach 50 ° C, then the seedlings grow several times faster. But if there is not enough light, they will only stretch out.

For a greenhouse, a plexiglass aquarium will do. The aquarium is covered from above with plastic wrap (preferably new) or a plexiglass lid and placed on the lightest window. If there is not enough light and the seedlings are stretched out, you can supplement them with a fluorescent light (DS) or table lamp (40-60W lamp). Additional light is needed in the morning and evening, and in cloudy weather - all day.

Small amounts of seeds are best sown in small plastic pots. Pour a drainage layer of fine gravel and coarse sand on the bottom, then fill the pot with soil. The earthen mixture should not contain peat and organic fertilizers. In the first case, the seeds of purslane will not sprout at all, in the second, the seedlings will die from fungal diseases. Up to 20% sand with a diameter of 0.1 mm can be added to the earthen mixture, and if the soil is heavy, clayey, then charcoal.

Plates with soil are placed in a tray with soft, settled water. When watering with hard water, the germination rate decreases sharply.

As soon as the soil is moistened, you can start sowing. Seeds of purslane are laid out on the surface with a pointed match (its end must be moistened), pressing into the soil 0.5-1 mm at a distance of 1 cm from each other. Crops are immediately placed in a greenhouse. If it is not on the window and is not equipped with lighting, then, as soon as most of the seedlings are free of the seed coat, they must be removed from the greenhouse and placed on the window as close to the glass as possible.

It is better to illuminate the purslane with a table lamp right in the greenhouse with the lid open. The distance from the lamp to the sprout for 40W can be 10-15 cm, and for 60W - 15-20 cm. If it is cold on the window at night, crops can be left in an open greenhouse overnight, and in the morning after additional lighting, put on the window. In this case, it is very important to ensure that the soil does not dry out.

If you have a balcony on the sunny side of the house, crops can be kept there. You just need to remember that purslane is very fond of heat and begins to suffer already at 20 ° C (freshly grown plants), at 16 ° C (after a week), at 10 ° C (after the appearance of 6 true leaves). At temperatures below 10 ° C, leaves begin to fall off in mature plants.

In sunny weather, it is better to keep the greenhouse open, it is only important to make sure that the soil does not dry out. And in rainy weather it is better to close it so that the rain does not break the seedlings.

Drying out of the soil is dangerous, first of all, for small, especially newly appeared, plants.

Plants 5-6 cm high with at least 10 leaves are planted in boxes, flowerpots and pots, and even better - immediately with buds. For the purslane, they choose the sunniest, warmest, driest place - it would be nice on a hill, and even better at the southern wall. You can also put pots with seed plants there.

If you want seeds, at the end of August, when the night temperature drops below 10 ° C, plant pots must be brought into the house. You can simply leave them on the window until the seeds ripen. Purslane seeds retain their germination capacity for 3 years.

To replicate the most interesting specimens of purslane, cuttings can be used - mother plants should be kept in a cool place in winter.

Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)
Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)

Popular types of purslane

Large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora)

A plant native to South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay). A perennial herb (used as an annual) with fleshy reddish stems, erect or lodging, up to 30 cm high. The leaves are fleshy, cylindrical, up to 2.5 cm long and up to 2 cm wide.

Throughout the summer period, single flowers bloom, 3-4 cm in diameter, of various colors - from white to yellow or red-purple. The original species with red flowers served as the basis for breeding many hybrid forms with a simple or double corolla and a wide variety of colors.

It is grown almost all over the world as an ornamental plant. In most varieties of purslane, flowers are open only during the day in sunny weather. However, there are varieties in which flowers (most often double flowers) are open even on cloudy days.

Varieties with open flowers on cloudy days: Sundance, Sunglo, Cloudbeater.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

A cosmopolitan plant that has spread throughout all regions of the world. Annual plant, succulent, 10-30 cm high. Reddish and highly branched stems, elongated or creeping along the ground, cylindrical, hollow. Leaves are fleshy, sessile, 1.5-3 cm long, oblong-spatulate, with truncated ends.

Throughout the summer, small flowers appear in the axils of the upper leaves, light yellow in color, solitary or collected in small groups of 2-5. The calyx is formed by 2 sepals, the corolla is 7-8 mm in diameter, and consists of 4-6 obovate petals. The flowering period of this species is from June to August.

In Europe, as a vegetable plant, this plant appeared rather late. First, it came to France, where in the 17th century it became one of the most important vegetable crops, and from there it spread to other European countries.

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