Red purslane Plant Care
Portulaca rubens A.Chev.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Succulent plant with fleshy leaves and bright red to pink flowers, grows low to the ground blooming_season: Spring to early fall uses: Ornamental plant in gardens and landscaping, edible leaves can be used in salads output:
Every 7–10 days
Full sun
60–85°F
40–60%
At a glance
How do you care for Red purslane?
Water Red purslane every 7–10 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun. It prefers temperatures of 60–85°F (16–29°C) and 40–60% humidity. Fertilize it every 4 months during the growing season.
Where Is the Red purslane Native To?
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- DR Congo
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What Is the Red purslane?
Red purslane (Portulaca rubens) belongs to the Portulacaceae family within the Portulaca genus. Red purslane is native to Africa. Red purslane is also known as Red pigweed.
Red purslane displays a low spreading succulent growth habit, reaching up to 0.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1.5 ft. Red purslane produces colorful, small, cup-shaped flowers in various shades.
Leaf size: approximately 1 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Red purslane?
Portulaca rubens requires watering every 7–10 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–10 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Red purslane Need?
Red purslane thrives in full sun.
Light Requirement
Full sun
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Red purslane Prefer?
Portulaca rubens grows best at temperatures of 60–85°F. Red purslane prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.
Temperature
60–85°F
Humidity
40–60%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Red purslane?
Sandy, well-draining soil with added perlite for improved drainage. Good drainage is essential for Red purslane to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Red purslane?
Feed Red purslane every 4 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 4 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Red purslane?
Repot every 1-2 years in spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Red purslane?
Red purslane can be propagated through seeds, stem cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to purslane plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Red purslane Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Red purslane, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Red purslane?
Red purslane is susceptible to aphids, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Red purslane Need?
Red purslane grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. Red purslane is native to Africa. In cooler regions, grow Red purslane as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 13a
Keep exploring plants
Red purslane is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Portulaca genus — compare its care with other Portulaca species on PlantoScan.
Portulaca is part of the Portulacaceae plant family — browse all Portulacaceae genera and species.
Red purslane thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Portulaca Species
Other Portulaca species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Portulaca rubens A.Chev., family Portulacaceae (first published in Explor. Bot. Afrique Occ. Franc. i. 48 (1920)nomen.) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Red purslane, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 13a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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