Portulaca grandiflora ‘Splendens’

Horticultural & Botanical History

As attested by the large number of references in the Victorian literature, a very popular garden plant.  The Botanical Register figures Portulaca splendens, first flowered in 1842 and assumed to be a garden variety of P. thellusonii, growing to 30cm and flowering abundantly in summer, ‘of singular beauty.’  [BR f. 34/1843]. 

In an article on unusual annuals, The Gardeners Chronicle discusses good varieties of Portulacas.  ‘These much resemble in appearance an ice-plant, having succulent stems and cylindrical leaves.  They are very showy plants, but require greenhouse treatment, although they may occasionally be turned out in the open border in summer.  The best are Thellusoni, which is the strongest grower – it has large blood-red flowers; splendens, with pale-red flowers; alba striata, with white flowers, streaked with red; and Thorborni lutea, with yellow flowers.  They are natives of temperate regions.’  [Gard. Chron. 1855]. 

Johnson's Dictionary lists P. splendens, with crimson and purple flowers, and gives a date of introduction of 1839.  P. grandiflora is listed separately with an introduction date of 1827.  Also described P. thellusoniii splendens, with reddish-purple flowers, presumably the plant described in The Gardeners Chronicle. 

Curtis's Botanical Magazine figures two coloured varieties of P. grandiflora, yellow and purple [BM t.2885/1829], the latter also later figured as P. gilliesii, synonym P. splendens.  [BM t. 3064/1831].  Portulaca Thellusoni was figured in the Botanical Register: ‘Let not the reader imagine the accompanying figure to be an exaggeration, either as to size of the flowers or their colour, for he may be assured, on the contrary that it is unable to do justice to the brilliant appearance of this most beautiful annual.’  [BR f.31/1840]. 

This plant apparently originated in Florence and is also figured in the Floricultural Cabinet.  [FC p.138/1840].  Illustration Horticole figures Portulaca grandiflora vars. hortensis, all named varieties with white, pink, red and striped flowers, superficially indistinguishable from modern selections.  [IH p.45, vol 2/1855].  Flore des Serres figures, successively Portulaca grandiflora var. Thellussonii subvar. Leyszii, with double crimson flowers, Portulaca grandiflora caryophylloides, with pink flowers striped deeper pink, and a number of double varieties.  [FS f.786/1853, FS f.1389/1858, FS f.1562/1864].  MB p.29/1841.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [H.186/1850].  Seeds of Portulaca splendens were ordered from Hurst and McMullen, Seedsmen and Florists of London, on 8th April 1846 and this is the probable source.  [MP A2933-1, p.132].

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