Rose-moss

Portulaca grandiflora

Found in sandy soil or around granitic flatrocks, other disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 3–8 inches
Spread: 6 inches–1 foot
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Usually moist

See native alternatives

Portulaca grandiflora — flower photograph — (c) Guillermo Debandi, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

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At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: July to September

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Recorded in 1 Alabama county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Solution pits on granite. Shown: Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, DeKalb County, Georgia, a neighboring state.Solution pits, Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, DeKalb County, Alan M. Cressler / U.S. Geological Survey, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

14CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Portulaca

Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Agrotis malefidaRascal Dart, Pale-Sided Cut-Worm, Shagreened Cut-Worm
Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
Euptoieta claudiaVariegated Fritillary, (?)Gulf Fritillary
Hellula rogatalisCabbage Webworm
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth

Show all 14

Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera latifasciaOrange-Striped Armyworm, Velvet Armyworm Moth
Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
Coleophora texanella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

7BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Portulaca

Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Portulacaceae
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Yellow, orange, pink, purple, red or white

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “July to September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow, orange, pink, purple, red or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “3–8 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Annual” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “6 inches–1 foot” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Rose moss

Conservation status

Alabama rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source