Purslane Tips

Varieties

• Green purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is the wild type, which grows very close to the ground. To the dismay of many gardeners it spreads quickly and thrives across a broad spectrum of growing conditions. Golden purslane (Portulaca sativa) grows more upright, reaches a height of 12 to 15 inches and is the type most frequently grown in herb gardens.

Purslane as Food

• Both types of purslane are used as food sources. The thick, fleshy leaves and stems can either be served raw; as an addition to salads and sandwiches; or steamed or stir-fried and served as a vegetable. The flavor is a slightly sweet, acid combination. Many individuals find it similar in taste to spinach or watercress.

  Purslane is one of the best sources available for omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It provides antioxidant benefits, and also contains very high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as essential minerals like magnesium and potassium.

Cultivation

• While green parslane is commonly found growing wild and gathered for food, many gardeners prefer to cultivate golden parslane in their herb gardens. The golden variety produces larger leaves and many feel it has a better flavor than the wild variety. Purslane is very easy to grow, thrives in almost any soil, withstands a wide range of temperatures, and is very drought tolerant. For the best results, you should plant purslane in the spring after the last frost. The seeds should be sown 1/4-inch deep in somewhat sandy soil in a sunny location.

Precautions

• If you plan to hunt out and harvest wild purslane to use as food, you should be careful of similar, non-edible plants. "Wildman" Steve Brill, noted author and environmental educator says, "Beware of spurge, a different-looking poisonous creeping wild plant that sometimes grows near purslane. The stem is wiry, not thick, and it gives off a white, milky sap when you break it."

  Purslane plants are very prolific seed producers, so if you plan to grow purslane in your garden, you should make sure you don't allow it to produce seeds. Remove flowers as they appear, or remove seed capsules before they ripen and split open. Otherwise you may wind up with a lot more purslane than you originally intended.