Eating and Growing Purslane: An Edible Common Weed

Identifying the common purslane weed — and intentionally growing purslane — is one of the easiest ways to harvest early spring greens. As edible weeds go, it’s one that I like to encourage in my vegetable garden.

Originally published in March, 2013; this post has been updated.

purslane leaves up close, filling the image.

With the exception of wild blackberries, I wasn’t really raised on foraging for wild foods. Discovering that purslane could be added to the dinner table was an eye-opener!

In past years, in early spring I’d prepare my garden beds, plant seeds of lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and bok choy, wait for them to sprout, hope the snails and snails didn’t get them, curse this thriving purslane weed that was growing rampantly, and pull them all out.

The plant itself — common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) — is very pretty. It’s low growing and not overly aggressive, with teardrop shaped leaves – but it just didn’t belong there, in my garden. Sure, now it seems silly.


 

pretty garden with tomatoes and flowers - cover of book "edible front yard garden"The 5-Gallon Garden

New to gardening? Limited on space? The 5-Gallon Garden gives you the skills you need to grow food in the space you have. Get started with your garden today!


Edible Purslane

The succulent leaves of purslane are edible and have a somewhat salty taste. They’re safe for human consumption and also great for feeding to chickens.

Growing purslane — or foraging for it — it good for you! Common purslane is high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid generally found in vegetables. It’s also high in vitamins A, C and E, and in dietary minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese.

According to the National Institutes of Health, purslane has a rich nutritional profile and is:

  • a rich source of potassium
  • high in magnesium
  • high in calcium
  • rich in high levels of omega-3 fatty acids
  • a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and B vitamins

One note of warning though, for people prone to kidney stones: purslane leaves are high in oxalic acid. Too much purslane could be problematic.

Foraging for Purslane

Turns out, people savvier than me forage for common purslane in the springtime, seeking it out as a local addition to their meal plan. And here I was, pulling it out and tossing it into the compost. If you’ve been wanting to try your hand at foraging for some wild edibles, purslane is a really easy place to start since the wild plants are very easy to identify.

Purslane is naturalized in most parts of the world so it’s likely that you’ll run across it in your region if you pay attention. It thrives in just about any kind of soil and will even take root in sidewalk cracks. 

purslane weed with yellow flowers

Small yellow flowers appear on this succulent plant when moisture is sufficient.

While you’re harvesting purslane for your dinner table, be sure to dig a couple of plants out by the root so you can begin growing purslane in your own yard.

Related: Eating Flowers: Perk Up Your Salads

purslane growing in a black pot.

Related: Homesteading in the City

Growing Purslane

I have to admit I felt a little silly transplanting purslane from my neighbor’s yard into my own. And yet, it made perfect sense now that I knew that purslane is edible. Purslane will grow almost anywhere, popping up in dry, rocky driveways or fertile garden beds. The plants reseed themselves every year, and purslane seeds are known to be viable for up to 40 years!

While it’s less commonly cultivated in the United States, purslane is grown as a potherb in Central Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean region.

A purslane plant will die back with the frost, but can be grown as a tender perennial in frost free climates. 

How to Use Purslane

All parts of the plant — stems, leaves and flower buds — are edible, making it an unexpected leafy green vegetable to add to your table. If you have yet to find any growing wild, it’s becoming more commonly available at farmer’s markets.

The leaves of purslane are somewhat succulent with a mild flavor. Purslane flowers are a bright yellow.

Choose young leaves and tender new shoots for the best flavor. Purslane can be eaten raw or cooked as a green. Try adding it to sandwiches, make a purslane salad, or add fresh purslane to smoothies.

purslane stems on a wooden board.

Click to save or share!

About the author: Kris Bordessa is an award-winning National Geographic author and a certified Master Food Preserver. Read more about Kris and how she got started with this site here. If you want to send Kris a quick message, you can get in touch here.

130 comments… add one
  • Wendy Hadley Dec 6, 2020 @ 8:14

    I will verify, but I am pretty sure Purslane grows in my yard! I cant wait to freak out the kids

  • Holly Whiteside Dec 6, 2020 @ 7:54

    When I was working for a community garden I would teach the volunteers and interns how to recognize the “weeds” they pulled and told them which ones were edible. It was funny ~ just as with ordinary vegetables, everyone had their favorite, and one they didn’t care for! One volunteer liked Lamb’s Quarters so much (and her chickens, too), that she asked if she could take some for transplanting!

  • Amanda Fulghum Dec 5, 2020 @ 21:31

    I have not actually looked into this one. I do love looking at the different plants that grow in our yard and using all that I can. The red clover and wild onions are amazing. I will have to look for this little guy!

  • Mackenzie Schmidt Dec 5, 2020 @ 21:01

    I am thrilled over the past week with how much I have learned and I cannot wait to find out more about what you have in store for everything! Thank you again Kris! Cheers!

  • Kim Dec 5, 2020 @ 19:37

    I forage for wild foods and herbs in my own yard because I know that they haven’t been exposed to pesticides. I’ve harvested and eaten dandelions, chickweed, and lamb’s quarters. Have not seen purslane in my area. Wild herbs I’ve found growing in my backyard include yarrow, St. John’s wort, elderberries, mallow, plantain, red clover, and cleavers. It’s exciting when they just show up unexpectedly! I borrowed your book from the library today, and after glancing through it, I am impressed at the range of topics covered. I’m looking forward to reading it in the next few days.

  • Marie Eve Dec 5, 2020 @ 19:29

    We have just put together a huge green house and I am really investigating all about unusual plants and herbs we can eat. I had never heard about purslane. I am always learning outstanding information on your website and I actually read what others write and they give really good tips too 🙂
    Can’t wait to create my own salads with some purslane !!

  • Ruth Pendergrast Dec 5, 2020 @ 19:19

    Thanks for this good info. I went on a foraging walk in the town I used to live in, down the alleys and learned about what could be done with the things that we think of as weeds. I’m still not very brave about trying them.

  • Barbbette N. Dec 5, 2020 @ 18:41

    Aloha Kris, I have been growing purslane, lambs quarter, mallow, wild mustard, dandelions, oxalis and several others for over 15 years. They all provide me with an abundance of free salad greens as well as cover crops which I chop-n-drop throughout my garden all Summer.

  • Stephanie Dec 5, 2020 @ 17:36

    I look for purslane to come up in my garden every year and love to forage it. I like to saute it and really like it.

  • Leslie Dec 5, 2020 @ 17:19

    Having looked at purslane as a weed for so long, will take some work for me to try to consume this..

  • Kim Sullivan Dec 5, 2020 @ 16:51

    Wow! I will look into purslane. I “foraged” dandelions for my chickens this year. As they grew in our vegetable garden, I would wait until they had plenty of flowers before pulling them out so that there would plenty to go round for my girls. It felt funny to leave a “weed” in the garden, but I am appreciating the benefits of healthy gardening. Thanks for this post!

  • Caroline Dec 5, 2020 @ 16:20

    I enjoy purslane so much I started growing it on purpose. I still have a big wild patch in my yard!

  • Marnie Petty Dec 5, 2020 @ 16:05

    I have never foraged but want to learn what is good to look for to eat and well as medicinal uses.

  • Kellie Peters Dec 5, 2020 @ 16:03

    Purslane is the only invasive that I keep in the garden! We are no spray household so there’s a lot of hand weeding weekly here on Maui. So good for us too! Can’t wait to try some new recipes!

  • Lynne Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:56

    Great article. I have purchased it at the Farmer’s Market, but never thought to forage it. Will give it a try!

  • Eilene Ballman Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:45

    I will be sure to look for it this spring and try it!

  • Sarah Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:40

    I learned about eating purslane about 10 years ago. My Dad was a farmer so I knew what it was but he never talked about eating it. I like the taste of it and learned about eating it from an English man who gardened a small amount of land and got an extremely large amount of produce from it. He did everything organically.

  • susan morris Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:29

    good grief I have so much of this in my garden and like you I have been pulling it out and tossing it in the compost pile.
    Come on spring so I can give it a try as an edible, many thanks for this post

  • Kris Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:25

    Love your posts! I’ll be on the lookout for this in the spring! Thank you!

  • Elizabeth Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:13

    I haven’t foraged anything wild before. I think it’s a very useful skill though.

  • Malgorzata Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:12

    I have a lot of purslane in my garden , 2 years ago I heard from someone that’s edible. I checked the information and yes it is, although there is also other plant which looks similar. and is poisonous, so be careful .

  • Jennifer Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:07

    We have Purslane in our yard, I’ve never thought of it as anything other than a nuisance. We will have to try it next summer.

  • Season Meyers Dec 5, 2020 @ 15:06

    I learn something new every day!

  • Tina Baughman Dec 5, 2020 @ 14:33

    I have never tried this. I like wild strawberries and raspberries. Have not tried any green leaf plants wild.

  • Luisa Watson Dec 5, 2020 @ 14:12

    I have never seen it here in Minnesota and presently is too cold for anything to grow here. I have gathered plantain in the past and make a paste for bites and bee stings, is great for inflammation. I will look for purslane next spring and see if I can find some to try.

  • Melody Pollitt Dec 5, 2020 @ 14:09

    I have pulled purslane from my own yard. I like to find something different every year on my property that is edible. I’ve always grown organically.

  • Diana Estes Dec 5, 2020 @ 13:33

    I like the idea that something so common as a “weed” is really so beneficial. I’ve been harvesting dandelions to make salve another winning weed. I’ll have to try Purslane this Spring. Thanks!

  • SUZANNE Dec 5, 2020 @ 13:22

    Wow, I won’t have very far to go to harvest purslane. It grows like crazy in my backyard. Since I didn’t know it was edible until sometime this past summer, I just picked it like the ‘weed’ I thought it was and tossed it into my compost bin. Since it grows and spreads so prolifically, I think I’ll transplant some into my raised garden beds for ground cover, mulch.
    Kris, I haven’t been able to buy your book as I live (exist) on SS and it never goes far enough for all the necessities so never enough for other great things I’d like to get.
    I have thoroughly enjoyed a look at the various sections of your book. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
    Suzanne

  • Barbara Moore Dec 5, 2020 @ 13:19

    Yet something else new to try. I just started a batch of mustard to give as gifts and also made salt scrub this week. Thanks so much for sharing pages of your book.

  • E Marshall Dec 5, 2020 @ 12:46

    I have never foraged before out of fear, but you are very encouraging; maybe I’ll try after the snow disappears!

  • Judy Dec 5, 2020 @ 12:15

    I’ve only ever foraged for fiddlehead ferns and horseradish in the spring. Will have to look for purslane as well. Thanks for the tip!

  • Lisa Pizzuto Whittaker Dec 5, 2020 @ 12:14

    This is really interesting to me. I am really afraid to try it, so I’d need assurance from someone who knows more about this than me.

    The Trek chapter sounds so intriguing! I can’t wait to read up on that.

    This has been really fun – daily learning about your book! Best wishes to you throughout all your endeavors! Thanks!

  • Laura Domsic Dec 5, 2020 @ 11:50

    We live in the city but our children forage all year long. Mushrooms, berries, greens etc… so wonderful

  • Shelby Dec 5, 2020 @ 11:39

    We love purslane. I harvested some from our garden this past summer. I almost wish we had more purslane weeds!

  • Nancy Hughes Dec 5, 2020 @ 11:11

    Ohh, how exciting! This actually grows in our yard. Going to have to try it next spring/summer!

  • Candi May Dec 5, 2020 @ 11:07

    Oooo, I love foraging!! Just knowing that there are plants all around me that are edible gives me a sense of confidence and security!

  • Don M Newsom Dec 5, 2020 @ 11:03

    I learned about this plant late in the season and sure enough there is some in my garden. Just starting learning about foraging about 6 months ago. Lots to learn. Haven’t tried Purslane yet. But have eaten some Lambs Quarters out of my yard. And some dandelion greens. So have done some foraging. It’s much fun and good things that are good and healthy for us to eat. Thanks for bring this information to us here online.

  • Linda Quigley Dec 5, 2020 @ 10:33

    it is so amazing how much food we have around us that we are not aware of. Thank you for bring this to our attention and all the great suggestions

  • Colleen Ergang Dec 5, 2020 @ 10:17

    I love snacking on purslane that is growing in my garden, but my foraging has mostly been for medical plants rather than those to eat. I love gathering mullin leaves, goldenrod leaves and plantain.

  • Faith Dec 5, 2020 @ 10:08

    We live in downtown so not a lot of places to forage here. I hadn’t noticed any purslane on our walks but still looking. Likely will have to wait til we move to the country as most of the green stuff on the ground around here is sprayed with lots of chemicals…

  • Debi Crawaford-Poyner Dec 5, 2020 @ 9:43

    A plant that I look forward to finding in the spring and giving it a taste!

  • Beverly Moore Dec 5, 2020 @ 9:41

    I don’t remember ever seeing purslane weed in my area. I will make a point of looking for it this coming spring.

  • One of God's Dec 5, 2020 @ 9:36

    Purslane? Great veggie raw or cooked. I encourage it in my yard and garden. Thanks for faturing it.

  • Kathleen J. Dec 5, 2020 @ 9:27

    I’m intrigued with this plant! I’ll have to look it up and find out if it grows in my zone as well as where to plant it, etc. I’m learning to forge now and have found tons of plants that I once thought were ‘weeds’ as well. Now I let them grow until meal time. Ha! I didn’t know this was called “trek” either. Now I’m even more interested in your book. Excellent idea to include this area of learning! I don’t know of any other “cook book” that has this vital information. Thank you.

  • KJ Dec 5, 2020 @ 9:19

    I’ve only foraged a very little bit, but would love to learn more. I love knowing the names and qualities of the plants around me, especially those in my yard. Thank you-

  • Heather Dec 5, 2020 @ 8:44

    I’ve never foraged not in my yard but I do have purslane growing in my yard. It’s very tasty.

  • Sheryl Madden Dec 5, 2020 @ 8:31

    I had a couple of plants growing in my yard this past spring. Unfortunately, kept putting off picking it for a couple of days and when I got around to it. It was gone! One of the problems with raising free range chickens.

  • Malia Dec 5, 2020 @ 8:30

    Any chance you offer farm tours with purslane cuttings? I’m scared of eating plants without being 100% sure and I would love to learn more from you!

  • Barbara Byram Dec 5, 2020 @ 8:26

    I’m lucky enough to have purslane grow in my back yard every year. I like it pickled in salads.

  • Marilee McQuarrie Dec 5, 2020 @ 8:18

    I’m pretty sure I’ve got this in my yard. Will be interesting to try it next spring.

  • Karen H. Dec 5, 2020 @ 8:17

    Well, what’dya know? I’m ready to go foraging! Never knew this plant was eatable and am going to get some small plants to add to my yard. I’ve gathered things like black berries [yum, my favorite] and clover and dandelion – drink dandelion tea too. Thanks for the 6 days of some pretty cool stuff Kris!

  • Aura Dec 5, 2020 @ 7:56

    I will be trying Purslane as soon as I am certain I have found the right plant. The comments about breaking the stem to check the sap are super helpful.

  • Jenny Leavitt Dec 5, 2020 @ 7:41

    Thank you so much for doing this! It’s been great this week to learn some new things!

  • Jenny Leavitt Dec 5, 2020 @ 7:39

    I have never even heard or purslane! Sounds interesting though.
    I have fond memories of foraging for wild berries as a child. I live in the city now so can’t really do that anymore

  • Alice Dec 5, 2020 @ 7:39

    Hi! I’ve grown purslane in the past, but was unaware that it was edible.
    I will have to find some and add it to my lunchtime salads. Thank you.

  • ruth Dec 5, 2020 @ 7:32

    have not seen any yet, but have not been looking for it. Will be more diligent in the future

  • Corrine Dec 5, 2020 @ 7:28

    I’ve only foraged dandelions from our csa farmer. Purslane and burdock for 2021!

  • Amy Hutchinson Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:58

    I just recently found out purslane is edible, but I haven’t tried it yet. Good idea to grow it between plants in the garden!

  • Robin Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:52

    I knew about purslane, but it’s been several years since I foraged and ate any. I’ll be watching out for it again this spring–I like the idea of using it as a living mulch/groundcover with the added bonus of it being edible.

  • Sandy Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:40

    We regularly gather dandelions from our yard. I’m not sure you can call that foraging? I will try purslane. It sounds like a good addition to our vegetable garden.

  • Julie Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:40

    I am so not comfortable identifying wild edibles yet, especially mushrooms. There are some very close similarities among plants. I would love to be able to forage for food in the wild while going on hikes.

  • Susan M. Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:30

    LOVE learning about wildcrafting!! We harvest and consume Lamb’s Ear from early spring until it’s to hot and the leaves turn bitter. Purslane will be added this spring!!
    Thank you!!

  • Vanessa M. Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:12

    My husband showed me purslane a couple years ago. I don’t really harvest it but in the spring when we’re tending the garden we all have a few leaves to nibble on.

  • Sue D Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:09

    I am slowly learning to forage for wild edibles. I have used purslane and dandelions. I am also learning how to use them for medicinal purposes like plantain for itch relief.

  • Cynthia Tharp Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:05

    Purslane grows, well, like a weed here! Next year, I’m going to try it! I’ve also seen somewhere that it can be pickled?

  • Robin Choate Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:03

    Purslane tries to take over my flagstone patio every year. It’s the only place it pops up. I did know it was edible, but haven’t tried it.

  • Shannon Howard Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:02

    Purslane is one of my favorites to see growing in my garden!

  • Carolyn M. Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:01

    When I was a kid we could find wild strawberries every year that grew near a pond on our property. It was great.

  • Rebecca Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:48

    Like many others, I have not found any in my yard. Do you know a place we could buy some? Thanks for presenting this giveaway. Someone will be very happy soon. Congrats to whomever it is.

  • Ellen Hopkins-Swiger Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:34

    I’ve never heard of this plant or seen it, but I love forging for greens

  • Lori Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:25

    I used to have a Purslane plant, but it had pink flowers. Wasn’t sure if that variety was edible. Will be sure to plant some this spring!

  • Deborah Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:18

    First and foremost, thank you for sharing. I enjoyed reading Foraging for Purslane. My granddaughter is the coordinator for Outward Bound, she would love this article. We both enjoy camping and exploring. We will be looking for purslane in my neighborhood. I also enjoyed reading “How to Ethically Forage for Edible Plants”. Thank you

  • Victoria Long Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:14

    Never purslane but we used to pick mushrooms in northern Minnesota (always with an expert we trusted).

  • Karen Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:12

    No purslane here on the drought ridden prairie. I have seen it in the past when I lived in town and learned a couple years ago the edible factor. The little gardening that I do now is in small raised beds. Will be looking for it elsewhere.
    Thanks.

  • Bill G. Wilson Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:11

    I haven’t tried it but not opposed to trying something new. I like almost any greens cooked but have digestive problems with almost all raw vegetables even salad lettuce causes me prolems

  • Apryl Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:10

    I cannot wait to plant these seeds in the spring.

  • Ann-Marie Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:06

    I had purslane around for 40 years at my farm but didn’t know it was edible. I do know that it never flowered so maybe it wasn’t the right variety?

  • Mary Wazelle Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:55

    Ooh! Definitely something to try out some spring.

  • Jennifer Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:53

    I love purslane my hubby not so much, lol. I was introduced to this several years ago at a farm I would volunteer at. I always felt it tasted like freshly picked peas, sprouts included. I sneak them in some of my meals so my hubby can get some of the health benefits they offer.

  • Amy Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:44

    I would love to be able to see purslane as you do. I usually give it to my chickens, as they go crazy for it. Okay, I will give it a try this spring, but not promising anything… Thanks for the info!

    • SUZANNE Dec 5, 2020 @ 13:04

      Hi there,
      Could you please tell me what fennel looks like? I love fennel and would love to be able to forage for it. Thanks so much.
      Suzanne

  • Bonny Broadt Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:27

    I forage in the spring for dandelion greens…my all time favorite meal is dandelion greens with bacon dressing. Have never tried purslane but it definitely will be my next to try. Have plenty of it in my yard.

    • Yvonne Dec 5, 2020 @ 5:24

      I forage Dandelion greens also. And fennel too. Years ago while visiting my brother, he was pointing Purslane out at the park and telling me how amazing it is. He was right. They are tasty!

  • Karen Barr Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:22

    I am so excited to get back to my garden this coming spring. I’ve gotten so many ideas here. Comfrey and Purslane. Not sure I’ll be able to grow either in my dry landscape, but I look forward to trying

    Thanks!

  • Theresa Sullivan Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:16

    Im not sure that I’ve ever seen that where I live.

  • Shirley Campbell Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:02

    I have tried purslane in salads, as well as lambs quarters and dandelion. Spring is a wonderful time to forage for some of these greens.

  • Alysha Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:59

    I foraged purslane for the first time this summer. It is a ‘weed’ that always pops up in my garden. Thank you for writing these informative articles!

  • Paulette Mayfield Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:49

    Very interesting! I know some weeds are edible but was never adventurous enough to give them a try. Looking for and eating some purslane has moved up on list of experimentation with food. I loved the comments others posted about their experience with purslane.

  • Katherine Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:45

    I haven’t found any purslane in my area, but I will keep an eye out on the spring. We often forage ramps. My son has taken local wilderness survival classes which aid in foraging.

  • Debra Bures Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:45

    Purslane shows up in lots of places around here. Also mint. So. Much. Mint. And, in the spring, ramps, and wild chives.

  • Jessie B Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:33

    I’ve never foraged, but definitely want to try it now! My parents have a few acres of wooded property, and it would be fun to see what’s growing there with the kids.

  • Cynthia Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:29

    I haven’t found any purslane growing wild locally. I am thinking of purchasing seeds in the Spring to give them a try. I also enjoyed the “How to Ethically Forage for Edible Plants” Related article. Very good advice for those new to foraging.

  • Patricia A Davis Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:28

    I think I have that in my yard. Will have check when the weather is nicer. Your book has so much information. I hope I win it. Thank you for the chance.

  • Aubry Hutton Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:28

    I can’t say that I’ve ever foraged before. I garden and have chickens.

  • Denise Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:26

    I’m in South Florida and I’ve never seen this but I am definitely going to keep my eyes open.

  • Tracy Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:25

    Foraging is something I’m new to as well. I’m not sure if we have purslane or not. I’ll have to check in the spring!

  • Alayna Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:23

    I would love to try this. I live in suburbia where everyone uses chemicals on their lawn. Not sure where to find a starter source.

  • IRINA M STILES Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:19

    I bought the book.

  • gmreil Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:19

    We love purslane. We came across it growing in our garden about 5 years ago. I love to forage so I looked it up and found out all about this powerhouse food. Makes great mulch in the garden also.

  • Suranna Michael Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:18

    It is a wonderful addition to a salad. So fresh. I love it.

  • Sara Grainger Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:18

    Dies this grow in Wisconsin? I don’t think I’ve seen it. Still haven’t tried dandelion greens either, even though we have plenty of those!

  • Toni Martinez Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:16

    Purslane is delicious, with a slight lemony tang! One year I pickled some of the thicker stems and when my grandchildren were visiting they discovered them in the refrigerator. To this day, nearly twenty years later, they still talk about how delicious they were! They ate all of them…

  • Klara Zietlow Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:11

    My middle school grew that in our garden and I remember it being so delicious! I need to find some for my own garden 🙂

  • Nancy Finney Dec 5, 2020 @ 3:10

    I look forward to these posts! I bought the book for my daughter and she loves it! It was the perfect gift for her!

  • Lemongrass Mar 19, 2019 @ 14:24

    My first contact with purslane was at the Union Square farmers’ market in NYC. I loved it from the first taste. I made sure I carried some seeds with me. I tuck a few seedling here and there in the garden whenever they are 2 to 3 inches tall. I usually use them in pesto combined with other greens.

    • Calla Funk Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:07

      I never ate the ones in our yard YET but I am going to try year.
      All the more reason to leave the ‘weeds’ in the grass. If you don’t have any in your garden oddly you can buy seed and either plant it in a garden or toss them in your lawn

  • Laura Mar 17, 2019 @ 15:57

    What about the purslane they sell at the nursery, that has many different colored flowers?

    • Kris Bordessa Mar 20, 2019 @ 13:16

      That is related, called moss rose, yes? I wouldn’t eat that.

  • MWW May 30, 2018 @ 1:02

    My Ex-wife’s Ex-husband came across this WEED some time ago and introduced it to me when we were both discussing ways to balance blood levels which we both have problems with.

    Anyways, he decided not to pursue the healthy plant but I took the little shared info and ran with it. I then immediately begin studying it and learned how to ID it and begin finding it and transporting it out of the wild into indoor flower pots and allowed it to grow all summer long and even built wooden boxes and put them out on my deck and so now it comes up year after year and I am able to enjoy the harvest knowing that its safe and clean to consume. So I begin growing this wonderful beautiful plant and allowed it to mature. I eat it every chance I get, its tasty, its seven times more beneficial than spinach, balances out blood levels, heals the internal organs, increases so many positives medically speaking. Other plants that give out god driven benefits are sunflowers, watercress, and others.

    If you need to learn to ID the PURSLANE PLANT its very easy. Always break the stem first, if water (clear) substance comes from it then it is safe to eat plus the leaves have a lemon like taste to them plus the plant once it matures contains real yellow small flowers about the size of a teardrop. But that’s funny, because the leaves are shaped like teardrops. Also, there is a another plant that looks like the Purslane Plant but it is darker and it grows closer to the ground. Can put you under ground if you consume it. They call it Purge. The main give away (like most plants that are unsafe to consume) this plant when you break the stem produces a “white substance” like matter which means the plants are unsafe for human consumption.

    Hope this helps.

    • Kris Bordessa May 30, 2018 @ 18:41

      I love that you’re transplanting purslane!

  • KATHY WILLIAMS Oct 14, 2017 @ 4:13

    I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS SO EATIBLE UNTIL JUST NOW WHEN THE BEE KEAPER REMOVING HONEY BEES FROM OUR HOUSE ATE SOME FRON A FLOWER POT OF MINE. LAST SUMMER I HAD ONE POT ANOW I HAVE 6 LARGE BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WHEN I TRIM IT I JUST LAY IT INTO ANIOTHER POT COVER WITH A LITTLE DIRT AND IT ROOTS OVERNIGHT….IT HAD PRETTY RED AND YELLOW FLORWERS THAT OPEN IN THE MORNING AND CLOSE IN THE EVENING JUST LIKE MORNING GLORIES. I JUST LOVE IT AND AM ANXIOUS TO TRY IT IN OUR SALADS. KATHY WILLIAMS

  • Toes Jun 5, 2016 @ 19:01

    No need to transplant it with roots “Purslane is an annual reproducing from seeds and from stem pieces. Seeds of purslane have been known to stay viable for 40 years in the soil… If you are trying to control purslane the number one rule is don’t let it go to seed. About three weeks after you notice seedlings, the flowers and seeds will be produced. Also plants or plant pieces that are uprooted but not removed can root back into the soil… Running a tiller through purslane is called purslane multiplication.” https://web.extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/homeowners/030726.html

  • Florita Arichea Nov 28, 2015 @ 7:51

    A whole lot of people including me do not know this is healthy. Where I came from this a wild weed that grows abundantly in the fields. We gather these by the sacks, chop them up and boil them in big vats and feed it to the hogs. If it is that good then it could be a good and healthy food for a lot of people. If and when it becomes accepted and popular, it will join all the other leafy vegetables in the market and will be just as expensive.

    • Toes Jun 5, 2016 @ 18:56

      Why not feed it to the pigs raw?

  • maria Jul 4, 2015 @ 12:56

    I am 66 years old I was born in Sicily when we came to Australia my mother would pick this plant growing in cracks in the streets of north Melbourne where we lived, when we went to visit an aunt of my mothers and she would make it into a salad later as I got older and I would hear Australia born people criticism that as they called us wogs ,we were picking weeds as I explained to them to the people that pick them there not weeds I am very proud of my parents because they were survivors and not waiting on handout and still in Sicily today there’s no hand out.now in2015 people are finding the value of weeds Maria

  • K.N.Malathi Oct 11, 2014 @ 19:20

    I am from India and the poorer class of people , in my country forage these for their food. I accidentally discovered this green in my garden and was identified by my garden help as an edible plant. I have now learnt from her how to use this in my cooking . See my post ( Link below) for a bit of info on this very nutritive plant.
    https://xploreandxpress.blogspot.in/2012/12/organic-gardenning-lets-eat-that-weed.html

  • Cautious Forager Jun 7, 2014 @ 14:38

    Just don’t forget that purslane has a toxic lookalike! True purslane has juicy, bright-green leaves; spurge looks like purslane but has flatter leaves and a milky sap.

  • pam Jun 6, 2014 @ 17:15

    I have it growing in my garden and pick it when I pick my lettuce along with lambs quarters. Homemade balsamic vinegarette.  Yummy !! 

  • Russ Jun 6, 2014 @ 14:37

    steamed with onion then add one can of stewed tomatoes let simmer for short time, yummy

  • cathy Jun 5, 2013 @ 9:49

    Ha HA! I found this growing in an area I have been trying to get ground cover to grow. I pulled them out once, they came back, I noticed they had little flowers as well, and just decided to leave it, as it is spreading better than the “stepables” plants I bought! Now I know I can also pick the leaves for salads! Of course, will have to clean them well… I have dogs…

    • Joyce Gronbach Dec 5, 2020 @ 4:27

      I have not seen the type of purslane as shown in the photo, in north Florida.
      Are there more varieties of purslane that may have the same healthy benefits?
      Asking for a friend….

  • Brette Jun 5, 2013 @ 8:13

    I have never tried purslane. I haven’t seen any in my yard but will keep an eye open as I go for walks!

    • Michele taylor Dec 5, 2020 @ 6:48

      Does that grow in maine? I’ve never noticed it before. I’ll be looking for it this spring.

  • Alexandra Mar 11, 2013 @ 9:33

    I saw this at the farmers market last spring and could not believe my eyes. I always pulled it up, thinking it was a weed. Besides adding it to smoothies, what is a good way to cook it? Braised with garlic?? Do you harvest only the tips??

    • Kris Bordessa Mar 17, 2013 @ 11:00

      I harvest only the teardrop shaped leaves. I have an aversion to cooked greens, but I have added it to soups and also salads.

  • Sonia (foodiesleuth) Mar 2, 2013 @ 19:07

    I had some growing in my garden when I lived in SC but I don’t have any here…haven’t seen it growing anywhere around us!

    • Kris Bordessa Mar 6, 2013 @ 14:09

      Sonia, I should have plenty to share in no time! 😉

  • April Mar 2, 2013 @ 9:55

    I haven’t found any purslane yet, or at least I hadn’t identified it. There is something that grows around here called mallow that is supposed to be an edible “weed”. I haven’t been courageous enough to try it yet, but it pops up in my garden. Maybe this will be my year to try it. I will look more carefully for the purslane. I know it grows here, so I doubt my acre is somehow missing it. Thanks for the great picture.

    • Marie Apr 12, 2015 @ 8:40

      in Central NY it grows close to the ground, has round red stems
      makes wonderful infused vinegars

      • Lisa Pizzuto Whittaker Dec 5, 2020 @ 12:12

        This is really interesting to me. I am really afraid to try it, so I’d need assurance from someone who knows more about this than me.

        The Trek chapter sounds so intriguing! I can’t wait to read up on that.

        This has been really fun – daily learning about your book! Best wishes to you throughout all your endeavors! Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *