PURSLANE

WHAT'S THAT WEED? SERIES

HOW TO IDENTIFY?   

• It’s a succulent plant with thick,
  rounded leaves and reddish stems
  that can store water. 
• It grows horizontally on the ground, forming a dense, circular mat. 
• Flowers are small and only open on
  SUNNY MORNINGS. 
• Looks similar to spurge, which is poisonous.

IS THIS ANNUAL A PROBLEM?

• NO. It is very nutritious, with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. 
• Can be added to salads, sauteed like spinach, or used in soups and stews (it will thicken stews). 
• Has a slightly lemony flavour and is less bitter than many other edible weeds. 
• If fed to chickens it will increase the omega-3 fatty acids in their eggs.
• YES.  It spreads aggressively – one plant can produce up to 240,000 seeds!

HOW DOES IT GROW?

• Seeds need light and temperatures over 24C to germinate.
• Grows in almost any soil and is drought tolerant.
• Likes DISTURBED soil and full sun (doesn’t grow in shade). 
• Seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to 40 YEARS!
• Can grow new plants from pieces of stem. 

HOW TO CONTROL? 

• Hoeing and tiling may not help because pieces of purslane will grow into new plants. 
• Hand-pull it when young, making sure to get all the roots. 
• MULCH INSTEAD of tilling, to prevent new seeds from germinating. 

Sources:
Kampman, M. Master Gardeners: Many consider purslane a weed, but it’s a powerhouse of nutrition.
Marin Independent Journal. July 19, 2018. 

Royer, F. and Dickinson, R. Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States. 1999.

Image:   Ethel Aardvark, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons