Edible Portulaca

Like dandelions, edible portulaca is often regarded as a weed.

Portulaca includes one species that gourmets value as a nutritious raw green vegetable in salads and cooked in dishes such as soups and stews. Known as purslane, or Portulaca oleracea, many people discard this plant as a weed.

Identification

Purslane is a small, low-growing succulent type of plant with tiny, indistinct flowers. It's a summer annual that often pops up in lawns, flowerbeds and other garden areas where it is unwanted. In Iran, people have been eating purslane for 2,000 years, according to the University of Florida website.

Growing Conditions

Purslane grows in moist, rich soil beginning in spring after the final frost and continuing until frost kills it. If you choose to grow this herb, order seeds from an online source and start them indoors in late winter. It is a companion plant with basil, corn, soybeans and other vegetables.

Culinary Uses

The small leaves and tender stems are both edible. They taste a bit lemony and add a tart crunchiness to salads when you add raw purslane. Purslane contains up to 2.5 percent protein and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Its green seedpods taste good when you pickle them and use them as a substitute for capers.

References

• TheFarm.org: Companion Planting
• University of Missouri: Practical Weed Science for the Field Scout
• University of Florida: Purslane
• University of Connecticut: Purslane: A Power Food