Jewels of Opar

Talinum paniculatum

Characteristics

Culture

A tuberous-rooted tender perennial related to portulaca, Jewels of Opar has fleshy green leaves and delicate, wiry flower stalks. Stalks have a fine, see-through texture. Minute hot pink flowers are followed by carmine-colored seed pods that are showier than the flowers. Succulent green foliage with attractive sprays of pink star-shaped flowers are followed by bright red-orange jewel-like seed pods that eventually burst and self-sow easily. Many use the flowers in late summer and autumn bouquets. The blooms attract and feed many pollinators.

Noteworthy Characteristics

This is a fabulous plant with its mounds of chartreuse green foliage and a profusion of airy wands of tiny pink flowers, that appear from late summer through to early autumn. Jewels of Opar is a must-grow for autumn bouquets and wearable flowers. The seed pods are in fabulous earthy tones and look great dried as well. It will self-sow into any garden soil. The flowers appear in terminal many-flowered panicles with wiry stalks, opening towards evening and hanging over the foliage in summer.

Long, thin stems and jewel-like fruits resembling small, precious stones inspired the plant’s name which was borrowed from the title of the novel “Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar” by Edgar Rice Burroughs.  

Problems

Sometimes bothered by aphids.

Garden Uses

Beds and Borders, Containers, Window Boxes, Cottage Garden, Rock Garden, Ground Cover, Cut Flower.