Best Moss Rose (Portulaca) Seeds (2026)

Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora) is the flower for the spot where everything else fries: the strip by the driveway, the gravel bed against a south wall, the hanging basket that dries out by noon. Its succulent, needle-like leaves store water, and from early summer to frost it covers itself in small rose-like blooms in hot pink, red, orange, yellow, white and peach. It grows easily from seed, and seed packs are sold in quantities from a few thousand to tens of thousands. Our top pick is the Sow Right Seeds moss rose packet, which pairs a double-flowered mix with the clearest sowing instructions on the shelf. For filling large beds and slopes, the HOME GROWN 23,500-seed pack gives the most detailed growing guidance of the bulk options, and for ruffled double blooms on a budget, the KVITER mix is a strong choice. Below are seven picks, then a buyer’s guide on sowing and growing moss rose in heat. For more sun-loving bloomers, browse our flowers and perennials guide.

Part of our Flowers & Perennials guide →

In this guide

1. Before You Buy: Moss Rose vs Purslane
2. 1. Sow Right Seeds Moss Rose — Best Overall
3. 2. HOME GROWN Moss Rose 23,500 — Best Bulk Pack for Big Beds
4. 3. KVITER Double Moss Rose Mix — Best Ruffled Double Flowers
5. 4. SVI Moss Rose 5,500 — Best Smaller Pack for Pots
6. 5. TLSSCO Moss Rose 24,500 — Best for Hanging Baskets and Walls
7. 6. PLANTMEW Moss Rose 30,000 — Best for Slopes and Borders
8. 7. Mixrug Moss Rose 20,000 — Best for Self-Sowing Beds
9. What to Look For in Moss Rose Seeds
10. How to Sow and Grow Moss Rose
11. Frequently Asked Questions

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How we compared: we compared 14 current Amazon moss rose seed listings on what each listing states (seed count, flower form, plant size, sowing depth and germination guidance); we did not test or grow the seed, and availability changes.

Before You Buy: Moss Rose vs Purslane

Many listings use “purslane” in the title, which can confuse buyers. Moss rose is Portulaca grandiflora, with narrow, needle-like leaves and rose-like flowers. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a flat, paddle-leaved plant that grows as a weed in lawns and beds; some selected forms are grown as edible greens. Hanging-basket “purslane” sold as plants at garden centers is usually a hybrid with wider leaves. All the seed packs below are listed as Portulaca grandiflora or moss rose mixes. If you are battling the weedy kind, see how to get rid of purslane.

1. Sow Right Seeds Moss Rose — Best Overall

Best overall

Why We Like It

• Most complete sowing and spacing details on the shelf
• Double blooms in a five-color mix
• Wide zone range listed, 2 to 11
• Seller promises to make it right if seeds fail

Specification	Details
Species	Portulaca grandiflora, non-GMO heirloom
Flower form	Double blooms; white, yellow, orange, red, pink
Sowing depth and spacing	1/16 inch deep; 10 to 12 inches apart
Germination	10 to 14 days at 70°F soil
Plant size	4 to 12 inches tall, 5 to 20 inches wide
Days to flower	60 to 90 days

Sow Right Seeds Moss Rose — compressed specs

Most moss rose listings on Amazon repeat the same general claims about heat and drought tolerance. The Sow Right listing stands out because it gives the specific numbers you need to sow successfully: a very shallow 1/16-inch depth, a 70°F soil target, a 10- to 14-day germination window, spacing of 10 to 12 inches and a 60- to 90-day wait for flowers. It also lists plant size as 4 to 12 inches tall and 5 to 20 inches wide, which helps you plan edging and container placement. The packet is full color with instructions printed on it.

The listing does not state a seed count, unlike the bulk packs below that advertise many thousands. For a typical home border, window box or a few containers, a standard packet is plenty, but if you want to carpet a large slope, one of the bulk options makes more sense. The seller also states it has taken the Safe Seed Pledge and runs on solar power.

Check Sow Right Seeds Moss Rose price on Amazon

2. HOME GROWN Moss Rose 23,500 — Best Bulk Pack for Big Beds

Best bulk

Why We Like It

• 23,500-plus seeds for large plantings
• Six-color mix including purple and white
• Clear note to surface sow for light
• Bloom timing stated at 8 to 10 weeks

Specification	Details
Seed count	23,500-plus
Colors	Red, pink, orange, yellow, white, purple
Sowing	On the soil surface, uncovered
Germination	7 to 14 days at 70 to 85°F
Plant size	4 to 8 inches tall, up to 12 inches wide
Sun	6 to 8 hours of direct sun

HOME GROWN Moss Rose 23,500 — compressed specs

This is the most informative of the bulk packs. Beyond the seed count, the listing tells you moss rose needs 6 to 8 hours of direct sun, germinates in 7 to 14 days at warm 70 to 85°F temperatures, and should be sown on the surface without covering because the seed needs light. It also gives a bloom window of 8 to 10 weeks from sowing and a mature size of 4 to 8 inches tall and about a foot wide. That is enough detail to plan a whole bed.

The listing mentions occasional aphids, a refreshingly honest note, and suggests uses between pavers, along paths and in hanging baskets. HOME GROWN also sells this same product as a two-pack with 47,000-plus seeds if you are planting a very large area. The trade-off versus our top pick is that the listing does not specify double flowers, so expect a mix of forms.

Check HOME GROWN Moss Rose 23500 price on Amazon

3. KVITER Double Moss Rose Mix — Best Ruffled Double Flowers

Best double

Why We Like It

• Ruffled, multi-petal double blooms
• Compact 3 to 6 inch plants for edging
• 15,000 seeds covers beds and pots
• Clear temperature range for sowing

Specification	Details
Seed count	15,000
Flower form	Double, ruffled; pink, yellow, red, orange
Sowing depth	1/8 inch
Germination temperature	65 to 80°F, full sun
Plant size	3 to 6 inches tall, 10 to 15 inches wide
Soil	Sandy or loamy

KVITER Double Moss Rose Mix — compressed specs

If you want the full, rose-like look that gives moss rose its name, pick a mix sold specifically as double-flowered. KVITER’s listing describes ruffled, multi-petal flowers in pink, yellow, red and orange, on very low plants of 3 to 6 inches that spread 10 to 15 inches—ideal for the front edge of a border, a rock wall or a shallow container. The listing says to sow 1/8 inch deep in full sun at 65 to 80°F.

Compared with Sow Right, this pack gives you a stated seed count and a lower plant height, but fewer colors—no white or purple are mentioned. The listing claims a germination success rate, but treat any percentage as the seller’s claim. Note that the 1/8-inch depth recommendation is deeper than some other listings; covering very lightly, or just pressing seed into the surface, is the safer approach for such tiny seed.

Check KVITER Double Moss Rose Mix price on Amazon

4. SVI Moss Rose 5,500 — Best Smaller Pack for Pots

Best for containers

Why We Like It

• Right-sized seed count for pots and boxes
• Double blooms about 2 inches across
• Indoor start timing included
• Deadheading tip for longer bloom

Specification	Details
Seed count	5,500
Flower form	Double, about 2 inches
Sowing	1/8 inch deep; space plants 12 inches apart
Germination	10 to 14 days
Plant size	3 to 9 inches tall, 6 to 12 inches wide
Indoor start	6 to 8 weeks before last frost

SVI Moss Rose 5,500 — compressed specs

Not everyone needs 20,000 seeds. If you are planting a few window boxes, a strawberry jar or a hanging basket, the SVI pack offers a more modest 5,500 seeds of a double-flowered mix. Its listing describes 2-inch double blooms on compact plants of 3 to 9 inches with a 6- to 12-inch spread and continuous bloom from summer until first frost. Uniquely among the smaller packs, it gives timing for starting indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, useful in northern zones with short summers.

The listing also suggests deadheading spent flowers to keep plants blooming, and notes that plants need little fertilizer. It mentions using moss rose as a cut flower; in practice the blooms are short-stemmed and close in the evening, so they are better enjoyed in the garden.

Check SVI Moss Rose 5500 price on Amazon

5. TLSSCO Moss Rose 24,500 — Best for Hanging Baskets and Walls

Best trailing

Why We Like It

• Widest stated spread, 12 to 18 inches
• Eight-color range including peach
• Single, semi-double and double forms
• Blooms summer until frost

Specification	Details
Seed count	24,500
Colors	May include pink, red, orange, yellow, white, peach, purple, rose
Flower form	Single, semi-double and double
Plant size	3 to 8 inches tall, 12 to 18 inches wide
Uses listed	Baskets, window boxes, rock gardens, walls, borders
Sowing depth	not stated in listing

TLSSCO Moss Rose 24,500 — compressed specs

Moss rose has a naturally trailing habit, and the TLSSCO listing leans into it, giving the widest stated spread on our list at 12 to 18 inches on plants 3 to 8 inches tall. That makes it a good choice for spilling over the edge of hanging baskets, tumbling down a dry stone wall, or knitting together a rock garden. The listing is honest that the mix includes single, semi-double and double flowers, and it names up to eight colors, including peach and rose.

It also lists the plant’s many common names—sun rose, rock rose, eleven o’clock flower—which is handy if you are cross-checking catalogs. The listing gives less sowing detail than our top two picks, so follow the sowing guidance in the buyer’s guide below.

Check TLSSCO Moss Rose 24500 price on Amazon

6. PLANTMEW Moss Rose 30,000 — Best for Slopes and Borders

Most seeds

Why We Like It

• Largest single-pack seed count on our list
• Six-color mix
• Pitched for slopes and pathways
• Simple single pouch

Specification	Details
Seed count	30,000-plus
Package	0.17 oz pouch
Colors	Red, pink, yellow, orange, white, purple
Uses listed	Ground cover, borders, paths, rock gardens, slopes, baskets
Sowing depth and timing	not stated in listing

PLANTMEW Moss Rose 30000 — compressed specs

When the goal is coverage—a dry, sunny bank you cannot mow, a long driveway border, or a gravel strip where you want a carpet of color—seed count matters most. PLANTMEW’s single pouch advertises 30,000-plus seeds in a six-color mix, and the listing pitches it for slopes, pathways, rock gardens and borders as well as containers. Moss rose’s dense mat of succulent stems helps shade out weed seedlings once established, which is helpful on slopes.

The listing is brief, with no sowing depth, germination time or plant size, and does not specify flower form. Pair it with the sowing method below, and mix the seed with dry sand before broadcasting so you do not end up with dense clumps in one spot and bare patches in another.

Check PLANTMEW Moss Rose 30000 price on Amazon

7. Mixrug Moss Rose 20,000 — Best for Self-Sowing Beds

Best self-sowing

Why We Like It

• Notes moss rose can reseed itself
• 2-inch flowers in a vivid mix
• Spread up to 14 inches
• Suited to poor, sandy soil

Specification	Details
Seed count	20,000-plus
Flower size	About 2 inches
Spread	Up to 14 inches
Soil	Tolerates poor, sandy soil
Life cycle	Annual that can self-seed

Mixrug Moss Rose 20000 — compressed specs

Moss rose is an annual in most of the US, but it often drops seed that sprouts the following year where soil stays bare and warm. The Mixrug listing calls this out, making it a good pick for a gravel bed, cracks in a patio or a hot strip where you want color to return with little effort. It describes 2-inch flowers through summer, compact plants for edging, and a spread of up to 14 inches that fills bare spots.

Self-sown seedlings from mixed and double strains may not look exactly like the parent plants; colors can shift and more singles may appear. The listing does not give sowing depth or germination timing, and colors are not itemized.

Check Mixrug Moss Rose 20000 price on Amazon

What to Look For in Moss Rose Seeds

Seed count vs garden size

Portulaca seed is dust-fine, so even a small packet sows a lot of ground. A standard packet covers several containers and a border; packs of 10,000 or more are useful for slopes, long edges and ground cover. Unused seed stores well in a cool, dry, airtight container for future seasons.

Flower form

Single flowers have one ring of petals and an open center that pollinators can reach easily. Double and semi-double flowers have layered petals that resemble tiny roses. Mixes marketed as double may still include some single blooms.

Plant height and spread

Listings range from 3 to 12 inches tall and spreads up to 20 inches. Choose compact strains for edging and window boxes, and wide spreaders for baskets, walls and ground cover. For other options for dry ground, see our guide to drought-tolerant ground cover.

How to Sow and Grow Moss Rose

• Timing: sow outdoors after your last frost once soil is warm, ideally 70°F or above. Cold, wet soil causes poor germination. In short-season areas, start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost.
• Sowing: mix seed with a few spoonfuls of dry sand, scatter over raked soil, and press it in. Cover no more than a dusting; light helps germination.
• Watering: keep the surface lightly moist until seedlings appear, usually within one to two weeks, then water sparingly. Established plants want soil to dry between waterings.
• Thinning: thin crowded seedlings to roughly 6 to 12 inches apart for full, healthy plants.
• Site: full sun, 6 or more hours. In shade, plants stretch and flowers stay closed.
• Soil and feeding: lean, sandy or gravelly soil with sharp drainage. Rich soil and frequent fertilizer give leafy plants with fewer flowers.

Moss rose flowers open in bright sun and close in the late afternoon and on cloudy days, which is normal. For a fuller growing guide, see how to grow portulaca, and for other easy summer color, browse our annual flowers guide or our pick of the best zinnia seeds.