La portulaca, detta anche porcellana o porcacchia, è una pianta appartenente alla famiglia Portulacaceae e al genere Portulaca. Commestibile, viene usata in cucina fin dall’antichità. Essa è caratterizzata da boccioli colorati e particolarmente decorativi, la Portulaca comprende circa 200 specie diverse. I fiori hanno petali dall’aspetto stropicciato e possono essere di vari colori.
It is known in different regions with different names: in Italian it is called porcellana, procaccia, purselana (Liguria), erba grassa (Lombardia), barzellana (Sardegna). In ancient Egypt it was already known as medical plant. It probably originates from Asia. It has reddish, fleshy, very branched stems and a prostrate shape which makes it an excellent groundcover plant: from June until the first autumn cold numerous rose-shaped flowers bloom on the apex of the branches, with wrinkled looking petals that close in the dark. It needs sun and regular watering.
It is a herbaceous perennial plant originating from Asia. It produces a basal rosette with big, green, curved, with wavy edges, rigid and compact leaves. These Primulas are very used as houseplants, especially during the winter; they are often used as annual plants, sometimes in the shaded flowerbeds as well. The blooming is very prolonged, especially if the withered flowers are removed.
