Purslane: Weed It, or Feed It?

A few weeks ago, my garden looked as if something green had rained on it overnight. The soil around the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers was blanketed with thousands of tiny seedlings that, upon closer inspection, I easily identified as purslane. The fleshy stems are reddish in color and the dark green, paddle-shaped leaves grow in pairs along the stem. This succulent plant doesn’t grow very tall but spreads quickly and can form a dense mat.

Who peppered my garden with this interesting but annoying weed? As it turns out, I did! A little research revealed I had unwittingly gotten good at all the methods for propagating purslane: seed broadcasting, root division, and stem cuttings. That mid-July morning, my garden looked like I was going for the purslane plant record in a single plot.

Portulaca oleracea , common purslane, also known as pusley, pigweed, fatweed, and little hogweed, is an herbaceous annual that’s found in most corners of the globe. Some folks call it a vegetable or an herb since it’s a common item in their diets. Americans often blaspheme it as a weed, probably because it is so prolific. Purslane will grow just about anywhere, from your lush, well-composted flowerbed to the gravel on the edge of your driveway. Although it does like plenty of sunlight, purslane isn’t picky about soil conditions

For those on the weed side of the argument, mulching is probably your best bet for eradicating purslane. Its season runs from July until the first good frost, as sunlight and warm soil temperatures are critical to seed germination. Because purslane emerges so much later than most other broadleaf weeds, early application of pre-emergent herbicides may be ineffective.

Purslane is easy to pull out by the roots when the soil is wet. It has a taproot with lots of secondary rootlets and, if you break the root, it will regenerate a new plant (a propagation method botanists call root division). If you’re trying to weed when the soil is dry, you will likely end up with a handful of plants and roots that remain firmly anchored in the ground. Use a tool that will help loosen the soil so you can do the job right the first time.

Like me, perhaps you use weeds to fight weeds, by adding weeds to the mulch you use to smother other yet-to-emerge invaders. But toss purslane plants back onto the dirt or an existing mulch cover and even broken stem pieces will find a way to take hold all over again. Even if conditions are dry enough that the foliage eventually shrivels up, chances are the plant will have used its moisture reserves to develop more seeds. Bottom line–remove purslane plants from the area you are weeding.

Purslane’s amazing ability to produce seeds, even on death’s doorstep, is the reason this plant is so prolific. It produces a single, little yellow flower at the ends of its stems. The blossom remains open only briefly, but the resultant seedpod is filled with tiny seeds that can remain viable for decades. The seeds germinate close to the surface when soil temperatures reach about 90 degrees Farenheit. You may eradicate your current crop by hoeing, only to find that your hoe inadvertently pulled seeds to the surface that had been too deep to germinate. Those seeds are minute , so don’t expect to see them. You’ll know you brought seeds to the surface if you have a new crop of seedlings in a few days.

Despite its reputation in this country as a pest, there is some good news about purslane: It’s edible. Purslane is often compared with spinach and used similarly. It’s been on menus in other parts of the world for about 2,000 years, but not many Americans are tossing it into their salads and stews. On paper, purslane looks like a highly nutritious vegetable, high in potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamins A and C. It also contains higher amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids than any other plant. However, like parsley, chives, spinach, and rhubarb, purslane is also high in oxalic acid, which binds with prevents the body from absorbing calcium and other minerals. So, if you do enjoy purslane’s mild, tangy flavor, use it in moderation.

Native to India and the Middle East , purslane has spread around the world. Cooks in many cultures use its tender, succulent leaves raw in salads, cooked alone and or with other vegetables, or added to soups and stews. It has a slight mucilaginous quality that helps thicken stews. Latin cultures call it verdolagas and frequently cook it with eggs. Some cooks actually pickle the thick stems.

If you like the looks and ground-covering habit of portulaca oleracea , several seed catalogues carry cultivated varieties. Apparently the leaves are larger and more lush, but the plant is equally invasive.

by Jackie Bower, UNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener