Green Purslane – Portulaca oleracea

Life cycle: Annual / Ease of propagation: Easy

I once got scolded when I shared that I was so happy to have Purslane growing in my garden; I did not weed it and I was letting it go to seed. Oh it is so unfortunate that so many wonderful weeds have such a bad rap! Don’t get me wrong, there are some weeds that are on my list of keeping out of the garden, but they are few and Purslane is not one of them.

Purslane seeds on a single plant have been counted up to 50,000! Purslane has evolved with humans and prefers cultivated soil so you are not likely to see it growing in the wild. It will do nicely in your garden, reseeding itself when soil is exposed and turned. Alas Purslane suggests that we may consider aligning with it as our ally and nutritional companion; it has certainly chosen to ally with us and provide ample nutrition and medicine just outside our doorstep.

This year Purslane blessed me with its arrival in my Corn patch. After my corn grew quite tall they shaded out some of the other weeds but Purslane thrived and in contrast to the tall skinny Corn, Purslane grew lower and wider, sprawling in the space the Corn did not occupy. Purslane makes a great companion but given its own space, good soil and enough light it will grow very thick stalks. The thick succulent stalks can be fried in butter and somewhat akin to asparagus with a sour note.

All of the above ground portion of Purslane is edible, including the stalks, leaves & seeds. The leaves are a treat in salads, adding a slight sour note. Do keep in mind that Purslane leaves and stalks are mucilaginous, somewhat akin to Okra but not as much. Therefore when cooking Purslane it will lend itself well as an Okra substitution in dishes such as Gumbo. The mucilaginous nature of Purslane is also a health benefit in many ways, one of which is providing lubrication to the body and reducing inflammation. The leaves contain high amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Omega-3, riboflaven and Iron.

Purslane leaves & stems are delicious pickled in salt or salt & apple cider vinegar. Purslane can be used as a thickening agent and help to create a gelatenous or thick consistency.

Purslane reseeds quite easily and once established in your garden and let go to seed you are quite likely to be rejoined with Purslane year after year. Although they are quite miniscule, Purslane seeds can be easily collected (by laying plants going to seed on sheets or in trays to ripen) and used in food whole or ground into flour. The dark seeds are highly nutritious. The seeds can be made into tea for relaxation or sleep.

As a mild sedative Purslane can be used for reducing nervousness, as a diuretic and for headaches, and stomach and intestinal problems. Purslane is a mild anti-parasitic and can be used for children or adults as a tea to expel intestinal worms.

“The juice, gained by crushing and straining the plant, was stirred into wild honey for a cough medicine. It was also used externally as is for bathing inflamed generative organs. Mixed with oil, sometimes that rendered from grizzly fat, it was rubbed into stiff necks. It also seemed to help piles, used both internally and externally … Mixing it with wild honey or with maple sugar was claimed to help shortness of breath and immoderate thirstiness except when this arose from diabetes. Bathing the body with cool, crushed [Purslane] was resorted to in cases of fever and, less critically, for inflammation.”
– Bradford Angier, Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants

“The herb is also used to treat fevers and sunstroke. As a demulcent to the urinary tract, purslane is good for treating scanty or burning urine … Poultice: The fresh, mashed leaves make a cooling and healing poultice for soothing inflammation of the eyes or skin, old ulcerations, burns, or infected cuts.”
– Richo Cech, Making Plant Medicine

“As for purslane, this succulent plant has been eaten and appreciated in India and Persia for more than two thousand years. It is today a prized garden vegetable over much of Europe and Asia, and several different varieties have been developed.”
– Euell Gibbons, Stalking the Wild Asparagus

Sowing Instructions

Direct sow seeds 1/8 inch deep in spring when danger of frost has past and keep soil moist until germination occurs. The seeds are very small so all that is needed is a gentle agitation/raking and tamping of the soil. Or sow in pots/flats indoors and transplant outside when danger of frost has past.

References

• Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants, Bradford Angier
• The Wild Wisdom of Weeds, Katrina Blair
• Wild Edibles, Sergei Boutenko
• Making Plant Medicine, Richo Cech
• A Modern Herbal, Maud Grieve
• Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons
• https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Portulaca+oleracea