Portulaca (Moss Rose) in Zone 9a & 9b

Portulaca grandiflora

When to plant portulaca (moss rose) in zone 9b

Zones 9a and 9b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Portulaca (Moss Rose) tolerates either.

Start indoors	Dec 28–Jan 4 '27
Direct sow / transplant outside	Feb 22–Mar 1
Estimated bloom	Apr 23–Apr 30 (~60 days after planting)

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 4-8 in.

Portulaca (moss rose) is native to hot, dry plains in South America, and it shows: this is a good summer annual for the driest, sunniest, most neglected corner of the garden, not a plant that needs coddling. It forms a succulent, 4- to 8-inch mat studded with rose-like or single cup blooms in bright pink, orange, yellow, red, or white.

How portulaca (moss rose) fits zone 9's season

Zone 9b's frost-free window runs about 293 days, from February 15 to December 5. Portulaca (Moss Rose) needs about 60 days from sowing to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Portulaca (Moss Rose).

Where to buy portulaca seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a genuine consensus of positive, independent reviews. See the sources cited on each item.