Please help identify my green with redish purple plant with yellow orangish flowers

by Kathy Richards
(Zion, Arkansas USA)

Reddish purple drooping steams, up to 12 " in length. Green with reddish purple beaver tail shaped leaves, up to 1 " in length.

At the end of the stems are multiple flower buds. A yellowish orange flower with red center opens during the day and close at night.

It appears that only one blossom opens at a time on each stem, when it dies and falls off another flower opens.

Drought Smart Plants reply: Hi Kathy, these little plants are well known as an annual container plant.

Portulaca are fast growing little low to the ground type succulents, which makes them a perfect candidate to drape over the edges of planters and pots.

They also thrive in dry and sandy spots, like on slopes, beside driveways or on otherwise barren areas.

The characteristic of opening the flowers only on sunny days, closing at night, and dropping older flowers within only a few hours is typical of the genus.

You can see more about these drought tolerant plants here: Portulaca.

Happy Succulent Gardening!
Jacki