Weeds are an ever-present frustration for many home gardeners. But if we think about it, they are amazing in many ways.
They grow easily in all types of soil; they are not picky about sun;they are able to tolerate both dry and wet spells without help from us; they don’t need fertilizers; and they often reproduce easily. If only we could do something productive with them!
Well, at least in the case of one common weed–we can! Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), also known as little hogweed, portulaca or red root, grows throughout the state and is known as a noxious weed. You may have some in your yard, or even in cracks in your sidewalk or driveway. It’s a fleshy-leaved succulent that grows close to the ground in a spreading manner. It has tiny yellow flowers and even tinier black seeds, and typically grows as an annual plant here in Duval County.
Although we view it as a weed, common purslane is cultivated and eaten as a specialty vegetable around the world. It is high in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and others. It has extremely high amounts of vitamins A and E. And it is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. All these healthy nutrients are wrapped up with a bright lemony flavor. Purslane is not grown commercially in Florida, but we can grow it at home. It is sometimes available from specialty ethnic grocery stores.
How do we grow purslane?
We can purchase purslane seeds from online sellers, or we can harvest seeds from plants we find in our yards (see caution below!). Pick a spot with well-drained soil in full sun (6-8 hours per day). Plant seeds in shallow grooves 1/16th of an inch deep and 8-10 inches apart. Thin as plants grow, and provide water and fertilizer as you do for other vegetable crops. Insects do not generally bother the plants, but powdery mildew and leaf spot can sometimes be problems.
As purslane grows it absorbs and accumulates minerals from the soil, which is part of what makes it so healthy for us to eat. It is also able to extract and accumulate salt from the soil. This makes it a great plant for remediating soil that has been flooded with salt water or irrigated with salty well water. Purslane’s low growth habit can also form a dense groundcover that helps suppress (other!) weeds and maintains soil moisture. And because of its welcome weediness, it may self seed and come up again in following years. So, plant it where you want it to grow in the long run.
How do we harvest purslane?
Purslane leaves and tender stems are ready about 50 days after seeding. You can harvest a few stems at a time following a cut-and-come again approach from spring through November. The key to tender tastiness is to harvest when stems are 4-6 inches in length, and ideally before flowering. Older, larger stems can become fibrous and not as nutritionally valuable.
How do we cook with purslane?
Sounds great, you say, but what am I going to do with it? Most easily, you can rinse tender raw leaves and stems and incorporate them into a salad. You can chop them and add them to a blender with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and nuts to make a purslane pesto. When cooked, purslane develops a mucilaginous texture (similar to okra) that serves as a natural thickener for soups and stews. Add chopped stems and leaves towards the end of cooking, simmering only a few minutes. Or lightly saute them with garlic and olive oil.
One culinary caution–avoid chemically treated plants!
Because we tend to think of purslane as a weed, we may treat it like one in our lawns. If your lawn is treated with pesticides, do not eat purslane you find growing there. Depending on what has been sprayed, you may be able to safely save seeds, grow them in a vegetable garden setting, and eat those plants. The same advice goes for purslane growing on or near roads or driveways because of chemicals from cars, oil, tires or herbicides sprayed in ditches. And avoid purslane in areas where pets frequently relieve themselves. But if your lawn is pesticide free, you may now have more motivation to look for this common weed.
Where do I find more information?
EDIS document HS1484, “Purslane: The Reigning Champion of Vitamins A and E among Vegetables and a Potential Crop for Home Gardens” is available on the Ask IFAS website. You’ll find more detailed information there.
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