For the Love of Portulaca

So why do I call this piece "For the Love of Portulaca?" And who is Portulaca? Is she a woman? I think not because then I'd be in deep karma meaning in lots of trouble with my miss-is. No Portulaca is not a woman. Is it music? No but it almost sounds like something musical. No it's not that either. Ready to give up? It's a plant but I know many of you knew that. And I fell in like with this small, very colorful flower many years ago. When I was a handy-man at a high ended apartment complex. I was looking down into this tunnel. The kind with water flowing through giving the complex a river or brook look. When I spied all these little blooming flowers in clusters all over the place. And what color. Every imaginable color you could name. Off the top of my head and in my back-yard I have a purslane (a portulaca plant that is edible). Check around first with your gardener and all the gardening places and so on. To make sure you find edibles one or if you prefer just the put-in-your -yard and growing type like me.

Right now I have some pink and yellow Purslane plants. In the past back in 1994 I had on a regular basis a cluster of Portulaca's around my mailbox at the bottom in a wooden growing box. And not a year would pass without me going to purchase my regular cluster of Portulaca plants which greatly tickled my wife. Since I am not the best at getting flowers to grow that require major tender loving care.

And how easy is it to plant and grow them. It's a snap. They are very sun, heat and drought tolerant. So if you forget to water them for a long period of time. They will survive. They do not require constant watering. And yet they have the most beautiful blooms and so many clusters of them. Some (not me) would call them "yard moss" or as wikipedia describes them as exotic weeds. They are that plentiful once you get them started. My Purslane's are starting to send out runners. And I'll let them grow out of their container and into my yard. Then I'll replant them for more flowers and colors.

So if you are need of a flower with low maintenance, and you can even eat them or you can just admire them. Like I do. Do some research on this wonderful little, colorful fleur and you won't be let down. And let me know how you do and if I can help in any way. Ok get out there now and get to planting!!!