Purslane, or Portulaca oleracea, is a garden weed that is edible and has many health benefits. Find out the benefits of the purslane plant here, and get a purslane recipe!
Purslane Health Benefits
Like many other weeds, purslane is not only edible but also far more nutritious than many of the crops that we plant! Here’s just a few of the health benefits of purslane:
- Seven times the beta-carotene of carrots
- Six times more vitamin E than spinach
- Fourteen times more Omega 3 fatty acids.
Purslane is also said to be a natural remedy for insomnia. It has many of the same health benefits as other leafy greens. Immigrants from India originally brought it with them to our shores, where it has escaped into gardens and backyards everywhere.
What is Purslane: Crop or Weed?
See the purslane picture below. It’s a plant most of us consider a weed. I have never planted purslane yet it appears every spring in my garden. A succulent, purslane can tolerate drought and the heat of summer. I let it grow in between my rows of carrots and beets and in other places where it isn’t bothering my veggies. Once it is touching my crops, I take it out and eat it.
To harvest purslane, it’s a good idea to pull it up completely, then cut off the stems from the piece attached to the root. Compost the root or feed to your chickens! Some companies are now actually selling the purslane seeds so that it can also be added to a garden on purpose. A delightful, nutritious extra for the enthusiastic gardener.
How to Cook Purslane
How do people eat purslane? Once you’ve cut off the root, the individual stems needs to be washed carefully. Purslane has little crevices to hold the soil, so you really need to use a hose to get ALL the dirt off.
- Purslane is usually tossed into salads or added to soups in the Mediterranean area
- In Mexico, it’s a favorite addition to omelettes.
- Purslane can also be lightly steamed for 4 to 5 minutes, then served with salt and a little butter.
- Purslane goes very well mixed with cucumber and topped with some oil-and-vinegar dressing.
- Also try adding purslane to smoothies or juicing it.
Purslane Recipes
Here’s a great purslane salad: Fingerling-Potato and Purslane Salad with Grainy-Mustard Dressing.
Or try adding this nutrient-packed green to any soup. I like to add to my purslane to my bone broth soup which is delicious! (You can also add seasonal lamb’s quarters, dandelions, purslane, nettles, amaranth, and herbs for health.)
Another option is to freeze purslane to add it to soups through the cold winter months! See how to freeze greens.
Are you ready to add purslane to your diet? Let us know below!
Reader Comments
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PURSLANE
I knew about it two weeks ago when a friend saw me removing it from the garden as was cleaning.He asked if I knew the plant and I said no.He then said normally pigs likes to eat this plant,and you too google it and find out more about its benefits.Just like Mohau I know it as a weed that grows everywhere.So thank you guys for sharing all the information with us. Mapule from South Africa.
Purslane
Where can I find Purslane that hasn't been herbesided ?
Purslane
Purslane grows wild in many places, but you should only take it from places that you KNOW have not been sprayed with herbicides, pesticides, road salts, or other chemicals. For this reason, we recommend only gathering it from the property of people you know and trust. Rarely, you may see it at farmers’ markets as well.
Purslane
Does anyone know where I can order purslane by the bunch and have it delivered? Can’t find it anywhere!
Fermented/Marinated Purslane
Dear All:
I grew up in Uzbekistan and we had a lot of purslane in our garden. My dad used to marinate it - it was delicious! The best taste and so refreshing in Summer!
Now I live in Canada and I find purslane in my garden magically appear year after year. I put it in my fried eggs in the morning.
Cheers!
Ella
So exciting!
I started an herb garden out front this year, and while I intended to grow parsley, basil and oregano (and hoped for lettuce), nothing surprised me more than finding purslane on the list of what was currently growing. I love the mucilaginous quality to the leaves and have struggled with getting enough nutrition. Just clipped the flowers to make it bigger, it's so great to be spontaneously growing healthy food during a pandemic. Most of my fruiting plant sections didn't even sprout.
My Portulaca Oleracea has lovely pink flowers?????
I cannot find any info on the flowers that bloom???
Salad
I have copied the purslane and fingerling potato salad recipe and will try it this summer !
This information about
This information about purslane is very useful to me as a person and for my entire family. From now onwards, purslane is my companion.
PURSLANE
This plant is all over my garden and i will start using it.
Purslane
Is all types of purslane edible?
Purslane
Just want to say how I value this entire site. When I need the sort of info offered here, this site is my first choice, usually followed by some science site and have found this work to be rock solid.
I wish I could afford to join, but as a low-come senior, I honestly don't have $ for anything than most necessities (lol - having a phone as my internet connection seems to be a necessity these days!). I do share your site when possible to help in a small way to promote.
Anyway, thanks again. So glad you are here.
JtMichaels
Purslane
Am from Uganda and I've been seeing this plant as a weed!! Am too surprised that it has health benefits! thanks to you for that information.
Purslane or, Bukleh, in Arabic Language
My grandmother used to buy purslane from the farmers market in Jordan and sauteed with fresh tomato, onion, and garlic adding spices like black pepper, turmeric, small black seeds, and cinnamon, We loved that recipe. Now, I live in Canada and have purslane in my big vegetable garden I use it in many different ways, almost, daily in the Summer and freeze a big quantity for the Winter. Recently, I read an article that purslane is used in
medicine to help cancer patients.
I'm from Lesotho. This plant
I'm from Lesotho. This plant usually grows in my mother's garden. We consider it as weed since it grows almost everywhere. I haven't heard anybody talking about it as something important in Lesotho. We normally throw it away.
I therefore thank you for making us aware.
Purslane
You have seen it may bro. And there are two more new weeds i have seen and been informed of. Their health benefits are taking Lesotho by storm. The Gods's and Ancestral answer is wringing and we only have to lend back our ears as a10 percent tithe. Likhomo tseo.
I am from Afghanistan here
I am from Afghanistan here also this weed germinated naturally and people know it better and also some farmer grow it and known as a vegetable crops in the market
Abo dragsh - gelban
Salam alaikum. I am from Libya. I know this plant in the old farms. It grows a lot in the farms where the non-fermented sheep are used. We eat a lot of times.
We have Purslane growing
We have Purslane growing abuntly in the Community Garden.
Our Mexican gardeners add it to their beans last 10-15 min of cooking. Says it takes the "toot" out!
Great article on others uses and benefits.
QUESTION: Are their any contraindications with prescription medications?
medications
Hi Lilly, I don’t know the answer to that question about contraindications. I don’t take any prescription medications so I have not researched it. If you find out any information, maybe you could let us know? Thanks!
purslane gourmet
Around here in Portugal purslane is a staple for soup in Alentejo (South Portugal)
Purslane
My father had beds and planters of what he called Portulaca, or Moss Rose. They were beautiful and I noticed they look like the pics I see of Purslane. Is it the same thing? He saved the seeds and planted them for other people.
purslane
Purslane, (which I'm new to learning about ) also contains oxalate so a warning to folks who are prone to kidney stones to be sure they thoroughly research consuming purslane, should also be added to your article.
Purslane aplenty!
I have about 1/4 acre that is filled with purslane. I pick the mature plants (just as they are blooming), cut off the roots, turn them upside down and dry them on a screen on my enclosed back porch. When they are completely dry, I strip the leaves off the stems and powder them in the blender. I use the powder in diy cosmetics and sprinkle some on/in many foods (especially soups). The fresh purslane adds a tart crunch to salads. Yum! Warning: don't eat purslane out of your yard if you have used herbicides and/or pesticides anywhere near them.
Purslane
I found this info about Purslane quite exciting, especially the fact that It has seven times the beta-carotene of carrots and six times more vitamin E than spinach along with "fourteen times more Omega 3 fatty acids".
All this in a weed, who knew!
I'm going to try & locate some, in Tulsa, at a home and garden outlet.
Wish me luck.
Hi Rhonda,
Hi Rhonda,
Who knew, indeed. Good luck!
That was a very good article
That was a very good article CL! I see them out in the yard. I plan to try some now. TY!
Thanks SurfKat!
Thanks SurfKat!
This came up in my flower
This came up in my flower bed, my daughter has something like this also in her bed, but has rose red blooms. Mine hasn't bloomed. Does it bloom? Would like to know if we have the same plant.
Hi Pat, I have only seen it
Hi Pat,
I have only seen it with yellow flowers.
Red and yellow
I bought a beautiful hanging basket with both red and yellow flowers a couple of years ago. I had no idea what it was until the garden employee told me it was a weed and edible. I paid good money for it anyway and am looking for another one this year!
purslane Vs portulaca or Moss rose
While purslane is of the family portulaca, it is NOT the same as the beautiful flowering Moss Rose (of the family portulaca) that comes in so very many gorgeous colors. Moss rose has narrow, elongated, succulent-type leaves, while purslane (the so-called weed) has ovate and more flat leaves. Please research the flower Moss Rose before you eat it, to make certain its edible. I grow both; the edible weed in my garden and the flower in my pots near the front deck. Definitely different. The Moss Rose has a much larger flower, and a different seed pod as well. Purslane's flowers are tiny.
Purslane
Last year, I pulled them out thinking it was a weed. This year is the second year it apeald in my yard. I am not really sure if it's eatable for sure. I have so many of it that I leave it alone because it's ptretty. I am not brave enough to try to eat it.
GRRRR! A WEED I can't get rid
GRRRR! A WEED I can't get rid of! This year I turned over an area of soil to about 12-16 inches deep and amended everything and mulched with red wood chips and I have it popping up everywhere! Between strawberries, celery, lettuce, Walking Onions, etc.
I asked a friend's wife who's pretty organic, freaky and always asking for weird stuff/edibles and even SHE didn't want any!
Hi Mark, Have you tried it
Hi Mark,
Have you tried it lightly steamed (only 3-5 minutes) and served with butter and salt?
Malibar
Hi Celeste, I bought a plant this spring called "Malibar" and find the succulent leaves very tasty a d easy to
Do not till purslane
Dear Mark_K - I have also been battling this insidious weed for years now. (My husband and I both think it tastes nasty so please don't anyone ask me to eat it.) I am sorry to tell you this but the damage is done. I know from personal experience! When you till purslane, you are breaking the roots into multiple root "starts" and propagating the horrid little plant. Plus, you planted any purslane seeds that were on the flowering plants. :( All you can do now is spend the next SEVERAL YEARS pulling them up very carefully, as I have, before they have a chance to flower. Over time, you will see a reduction in this weed. It takes a lot of patience as the seeds hold up for many years and any time you disturb the soil, you will see them pop up. My condolences on your purslane invasion.
PURSLANE
This stuff wont die or voluntary leave my gardens! It sees to come in with any garden soil or mulch that I add to my garden.
Do Not TRY to Till it under. It wont work.
I have resorted to hand picking it and feeding to my chickens. But I cannot add chicken compost to my garden any longer, because it comes back stronger than before.
I am wondering if you sell a
I am wondering if you sell a reproduction of the first almanac?
Thanks,
John
No reproductions of the first
No reproductions of the first Almanac. However, if you buy the new 2016 Almanac we will throw in a replica Almanac from 1916 and 1816 for free.
Well this is exciting news! I
Well this is exciting news! I have four hanging baskets filled to bursting with gorgeous flowering purslane. I love it because if I forget to water for awhile (it happens often) it handles it in the Louisiana heat. Now I have to try eating it!
Yikes! Sounds like you have the "moss rose" type of portulaca.
Yikes! Sounds like you have the "moss rose" type of portulaca. Don't eat it until you know that it won't hurt you. The edible kind has different leaves, and doesn't have the big, ornamenta flowers. I cook mine like I cook Southern-style green beans, but not so long. I season it with maybe 1/2 strip of bacon, because I can't buy fatback pork here.