Portulaca umbraticola
| Portulaca umbraticola subsp. var. | Wildfire Rockrose | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Portulaca umbraticola is a common weedy species of the southwestern United States, while in the southeastern United States it is usually restricted to sandy soils of granitic and sandstone outcrops. In 1982-1983, a new cultivar was introduced to the United States in hanging baskets, under the name Portulaca umbraticola ‘Wildfire Mixed,’ which appears to be selected from material from South America. There is no seed surface variability in any of the three subspecies.
The Portulaca umbraticola, "Yubi Summer Joy', has large 2 inches flowers (5 cm) whose flat, smooth petals curve in slightly around the edges. It blooms from spring to fall. The flowers are open only part of the day and do not open fully on very cloudy days, like all portulaca. The name "Portulaca" is a derivative of "portare" (Latin) which means to carry and lac (milk) which refers to the plant's milky sap. Seeds are formed in a tiny pod which opens when the seeds are ready. Plants reseed themselves in late spring with some emerging in early summer and grow into 2 feet (or more) in diameter mounds that bloom constantly. As the temperatures begin to cool and the amount of daylight decreases, so does bloom production. They are killed by the first heavy frost.
Cultivation
Propagation
By seed, cuttings.
Pests and diseases
Subspecies
- Portulaca umbraticola (subsp. coronata) Petals entirely yellow. overwinters in 10a
- Portulaca umbraticola (subsp. lanceolata) Petals yellow tipped with red (copper). overwinters in 10b
Gallery
Wingpod purslane cv. 'wildfire'
