Carla rec'd a cutting and wrote to ask about growing it.

Jewel of Opar (Talinum paniculatum) is a lovely thing. The itsy pink flowers open in the afternoon. When the blooms are closed, different colors of the little round seed pods (the jewels) are charming too.

The foliage is succulent, like huge portulaca leaves = they are related. It is a herbaceous perennial, dies down in winter,, foliage returns in spring. Mark the site well before first frost, so as to avoid digging it up in winter.

The fleshy root grows larger each year - hence a larger plant every year. The only problem with it is that it reseeds far more than most of us want, unless there are no other valuable perennials nearby that would be smothered by its fast summer growth.

I enjoyed it for many years, but finally got tired of weeding out the babies all summer. Still, some occasionally manage to sneak up from under other plants. This is not such a problem in a cottage styled bed, so perhaps I will put some of the stowaways in my long border, where everything has to fight for space anyway. ;-)

The afternoon-shaded site you chose for rooting a cutting of it sounds fine. Keep the soil moist. And it would help to put a coke bottle or milk carton over it (with bottom cut off and lid removed) to ensure constant humidity, that will require full shade. Mature plants like full to part sun and will tolerate brief dry spells, like rose moss.

Enjoy your new jewels, Carla