Don't let the name Mojave fool you. Drought-resistant Portulaca brightens borders, rock walls
By the time you read this, the Garden Guy will be smack in the middle of the Arctic Blast. How can this be? I'm still having drought nightmares.
Such is the dilemma we face as gardeners. Planning, however, is one thing we can do once we’ve protected the plants the best we can. So, I’m thinking Mojave, and while I do have a fascination with the desert, I am thinking portulaca.
Despite the rains and even some flooding, the U.S. Drought Monitor Map is still showing red in the Mississippi River Valley stretching from Louisiana to Mississippi and curving to Tennessee. It only makes sense to consider flowers that don’t need babysitting everyday during a long hot summer ― a strong attribute of the Portulaca umbraticola.
This is where the five colors or varieties of the Mojave series rise to the top. They are not only extraordinarily beautiful in color but also they are filling out trophy cases with Top Performer awards. Mojave Red which seems to glow in the landscape and containers is a prime example as it has won 14.
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And let you think the awards were bestowed in desert-like climates, the accolades at Louisiana State University and North Carolina State University puts those thoughts to rest, as do the honors from Minnesota, Penn State and South Dakota State, University of Florida, and Oregon State.
The Mojave portulacas all have what I consider to be an iridescent glow with their rich colors. Mojave Fuchsia, Yellow and Tangerine will light up your garden with a riotous show of color. They reach about 8 inches tall and have a 16-inch spread, ideal for the front of a border or tumbling over the rim of a container.
While the name Mojave might make you think plant in a desert-like condition and go off on a 30-day vacation. Instead think about how they are drought tolerant and can take heat and humidity. They aren’t hungry for fertilizer, and won’t need deadheading, but with average moisture they will be real troopers in the landscape.
Mojave Yellow also took home some award-winning hardware. When you consider Perfect Score Awards at Universities of Georgia, Minnesota, Tennessee, Iowa State, and Best of the Species at Penn State, you know you are getting the absolute best. It is time to let your artistic nature come alive in your combinations.
While the combinations are what gets the Garden Guy’s heart pumping, I also am passionate about seeing flowers with pollinator activity. They will certainly bring in butterflies but I was equally thrilled seeing a Metallic Green Bee on Mojave Tangerine blossoms. So, have your camera ready for some prize worthy clicks.
As you are planning your combinations, whether containers, window boxes or landscape borders, know there is one other location that begs for the Mojave portulaca. That area would be a rock garden, or spots within a rock wall or crevices within a flagstone path. Here's hoping the Arctic Blast will soon just be a memory, and we will all soon be trying new plants, like the Mojave portulaca.
Follow Norman Winter on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy for more photos and garden inspiration. See more columns by Norman at SavannahNow.com/lifestyle/home-garden/.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Garden Guy: drought-resistant plants require planning but offer peace of mind
