What Eating Purslane Every Day Can Do for You After 60
Purslane, known botanically as Portulaca oleracea, is often dismissed as a garden weed. Yet this fleshy, lemony-tasting plant is one of the most…
What Purslane Actually Is
Purslane is a succulent annual that grows close to the ground in gardens, lawns, and sidewalk cracks all over the world. It has been eaten and used as a folk remedy for thousands of years, appearing in ancient Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Indian traditions.
- Appearance: Thick reddish stems, small paddle-shaped green leaves, and tiny yellow flowers.
- Taste: Crisp and juicy with a mild lemony, slightly salty and peppery flavor, a little like a cross between cucumber and a succulent.
- Growing habits: It thrives in poor soil, heat, and drought, which is exactly why it spreads so freely.
One important note: edible purslane is not the same as ornamental portulaca, or moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora), which is grown for its showy flowers and is not meant for eating.