Over the years, I’ve shared countless springs and summers with purslane, the so-called weed.
Maybe you’ve spotted it too — one of my clients had so many purslane plants, their garden looked like a living green carpet. I even received an email from a reader, complete with a picture of their own purslane patch.
Later in the season, you might notice this green, succulent plant with water-filled stems and subtle yellow flowers taking over your garden beds.
Common purslane, or Portulaca oleracea, is easy to recognize, and it has a fascinating history: native to North Africa, the Middle East, and India, it arrived in North America before Columbus and now feels right at home here.
My first encounter with purslane’s ornamental cousin was in my former mother-in-law’s flag garden. She grew Moss Rose, or Portulaca grandiflora, and every Fourth of July, the garden burst into color like fireworks. Maybe you’ve grown Moss Rose too, or seen its vivid display.
I always enjoyed its spectacular blooms, even though they vanished when the sun dipped below the horizon — almost as if the flowers were tucking themselves in for the night.
Both purslane and Portulaca hug the ground and love to spread. In the summer, you’ll notice their blooming fireworks across garden beds. These annuals need replanting each year — my mother-in-law always added more Moss Rose to her garden.
I started to appreciate how some seeds survive winter and surprise us with new plants in spring.
Moss Rose also has many seeds that come back and can be considered when you traditionally plant certain gardens with annuals. I have always thought of these visitors to our gardens as invited guests in comparison to the weeds that show up.
You don’t always know if they are going to come back is the problem. Moss Rose can be found in many local greenhouses.
Purslane is one of those ‘comeback kids’ among lawn weeds. If you’ve ever tried to clear purslane from your garden, you know it’s relentless — I helped my mother-in-law pull it countless times, but it was like a ghost, always returning.
Agronomists warn about a trio of tenacious weeds: purslane, spotted spurge, and crab grass. If you’re dealing with purslane, its yellow flowers can produce up to 50,000 seeds per plant, and even small fragments of leaves or stems can regrow, making careful weeding essential.
For those of us who think that purslane is a weed you don’t want to see again, I have four basic suggestions:
- Weed out the plant when the stem is still young to avoid spreading the roots.
- Find the center of the clump or rosette and pull up firmly, making sure to take the entire root, which is not easy.
- Bag the pulled plant and put it into a plastic trash bag for removal.
- Check the area for stems or leaf segments that could regenerate. Don’t compost the stems, leaves, or roots.
Additionally, I like to use my lawn torch to burn up any remaining plant fragments where purslane used to be.
Secondarily, if you have a three-inch or three-and-a-half-inch setting on your mower deck, that would be best to shade out the purslane seed with grass leaves.
A strong turf will help control purslane. Finally, apply three to four inches of hardwood mulch in most ornamental beds to control most weeds. I include purslane in this category.
So, should you keep purslane or get rid of it?
Some say it’s bitter and inedible, but taste is personal — you might find it surprisingly pleasant.
Others swear purslane is a nutritious superfood, even more so than many vegetables we intentionally plant.
Our pioneer forebears regularly added purslane to their salads, and researchers now report that chamomile and purslane tea can help you sleep better. Purslane’s nutrients may even aid in managing Macular Degeneration.
It’s remarkable how this humble weed offers health benefits you might not expect.
To harvest purslane, pull it completely out of the ground and cut the stems off, separating the stem from the root. The roots can be composted or fed to the chickens, since they like them.
Once you have harvested purslane, wash the plant carefully. You will find soil in the plant’s crevices otherwise.
As you consider whether purslane is a weed or a food, keep in mind that there are all sorts of benefits to using purslane as a food rather than destroying it.
Enjoy your stroll through the garden this week — these moments are what make gardening special.
If you run into any challenges or have questions, feel free to reach out to me at ericlarson546@yahoo.com.
I’d love to hear about your garden adventures.