Rock purslane is a tender perennial usually grown as an annual. Native to western North America it is a member of the Montiaceae family that also includes Lewisia and Claytonia. Plants form 6″ tall compact mounds of branching, semi-upright steams bearing evergreen, linear to lance-shaped leaves that are fleshy and grey-green. In summer, loose panicles of magenta flowers appear that are cup-shaped and 3/4″ in diameter. Plants like cool temperatures and do especially well in California and the Northwest. A good choice for rock gardens, scree, and containers. The genus name, Calandrinia, honors Jean Louis Calandrini, an 18th-century Swiss botanist. The specific epithet, umbellata, comes from the Latin word umbella, meaning a sunshade, parasol, or umbrella and refers to the arrangement of flowers on the stem that resembles the ribs of an umbrella.
Type: Tender perennial grown as annual
Bloom: Clusters of cup-shaped 3/4″ wide magenta flowers in summer
Size: 6′ H x 6″ W
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Average to lean, dry to medium moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 8-10
Care: Low maintenance
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Seed, cuttings
Companion Plants: Santa Barbara daisy, purple poppy mallow, Euphorbia myrsinites, ‘Myrtle Spurge’
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Karen Meyers