PURSLANE (Portulaca oleracea)
The plant kingdom’s richest source of Omega 3 fatty acids
Purslane generally starts appearing a bit later than most of the spring greens, after many of the spring greens have already dried up, typically by June or July. It is a very common annual in rose beds and gardens, though I do see it in the wild occasionally, typically in the sandy bottoms around streams.
The stems are succulent, red colored, and round in the cross section. The stems sprawl outward from the roots, rosette-like, with the stems lying on the ground. The leaves are paddle shaped. The little yellow flower is 5 petaled.
WHERE FOUND:
Though a European native, this plant is now common and widespread worldwide. It is found in agricultural lands, swamps, fields, gardens, ditches, and vacant lots. Though it prefers wet soils, it can be found in most environments.
USES:
When you chew on a fresh stem or leaf of purslane, you’ll find it mildly sour and a bit crunchy. It’s really a great snack, though I like it a lot in salads. Just rinse it to get all the dirt off, dice, add some dressing, and serve. Yes, add tomatoes and avocado if you have any. When I first learned of this plant native to India, I ate it mostly in salads.
The famous naturalist Henry David Thoreau lived off the land when he built his little cabin near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. He wrote, “I learned that a man may use as simple a diet as the animals, and yet retain health and strength. I have made a satisfactory dinner off a dish of purslane which I gathered and boiled. Yet men have come to such a pass that they frequently starve, not from want of necessities, but for want of luxuries.” He wrote that in the mid 1840s! Things are not that different today.
According to Mike Krebill, author of “The Scout’s Guide to Wild Edibles,” “The tender tips of the stems (of purslane), including the leaves, may be eaten raw in salads, baked in a quiche, or added to a stir fry. Flexible stems up to the thickness of a pencil may be pickled.”
You can also add the succulent leaves and stems to sandwiches, tostadas, even on the edges of your chile rellenos and huevos rancheros. I’ve eaten it fried, boiled, baked (in egg dishes), and probably other ways, too. It’s versatile, tasty, and crisp. It really goes with anything, and it’s very nutritious.
If you take the thick stems, clean off the leaves, and cut them into sections of about 4″, you can make purslane pickles. There are many ways to make pickles; my way is to simply fill the jar with the purslane stems, add raw apple cider vinegar, and let it sit for a few weeks. (I refrigerate it.)
MEDICINE/NUTRITION:
According to researchers, purslane is one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. That means that not only is it good, but it’s also good for you! It has been fed to chickens to create a low-cholesterol egg!
100 grams, about a half-cup, of purslane contains 103 mg. of phosphorus, 39 mg. of iron, 2,500 mg. of thiamine, and smaller amounts of vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and calcium, according to the USDA.
ADVICE FOR GROWING: Purslane seeds can be purchased from seed supply companies, and planted in gardens or pots if you don’t have any.
The cut stems root easily, so you can cut the thicker stems that you find in the wild, and then root them in good soil in your yard.
Purslane is a member of the Purslane Family, which according to the most recent botanical classification, contains only one genus, Portulaca. There are about 100 species of genus Portulaca world-wide, with Purslane being one of the most common species worldwide.
CAUTIONS: Sometimes, prostrate spurge is confused for purslane. Prostrate spurge, however, lies very flat to the ground, and when you break the stem of spurge, a white milky sap appears.
RECIPES:
Purslane Salsa, created by Pascal Baudar, author of “Wildcrafted Fermentation.”
2 cups chopped tomatoes
21⁄2 cups chopped foraged purslane
3⁄4 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves
1 cup raw apple cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 large California bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro and some herbs from the garden (such as thyme)
Place all ingredients, except cilantro and other herbs, into a pot, bring to a boil, and then simmer to the desired consistency (light or chunky). Add cilantro and other herbs.
Pour into jars, close the lids, and place in the fridge. It should be good for at least a month.
About the Author:
Nyerges has been teaching ethnobotany since 1974. He is the author of “Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants,” “Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America,” and other books on the uses of wild plants. He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.
