Pink Purslane

Biological Name:

Portulaca oleracea (Pink-Purslane)

Natural Habitat:

Pink Purslane: This plant is native to Europe and can be found in a variety of habitats including meadows, fields, and waste areas.

Description:

Pink purslane is a type of flowering plant that is commonly found in fields and other grassy areas. It is a member of the Portulacaceae family which also includes plants such as spring beauty and moss rose. Pink purslane is an annual or perennial plant that produces small pink or white flowers and clusters of seeds. The plant is often used as a cover crop to improve soil health and suppress weeds. It is also known for its ability to tolerate a wide range of growing conditions including wet or dry soils. In some areas pink purslane is considered a weed because of its ability to invade cultivated areas and cause allergies and other health problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can you eat pink purslane?
A: Any purslane plant can be harvested and eaten, as the leaves, stems, and flowers are completely edible.
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Q: Who should not eat purslane?
A: Purslane and other leafy vegetables have high levels of oxalates (15). It can contribute to the formation of stones in your urinary tract and kidneys. People who are prone to developing kidney or urinary tract stones should avoid eating purslane.
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Q: Is it OK to eat purslane raw?
A: Purslane is a green, leafy vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is known scientifically as Portulaca oleracea, and is also called pigweed, little hogweed, fatweed and pusley.
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Q: Is pink purslane poisonous to dogs?
A: Many people who have experienced this plant take over their garden, cook it and eat it. However, this should never be offered to your dog. In dogs, purslane leads to a metabolic imbalance and kidney failure.
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Q: Is there a toxic purslane?
A: Purslane does have one dangerous look-a-like: the potentially deadly spurges. (Euphorbia varieties). I find that they really don’t look that much alike, and there is one tried and true way to tell them apart–making purslane a good plant for even a novice forager.
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Q: What is pink purslane good for?
A: It is rich in vitamin A which is a natural antioxidant value. It can play role in vision healthy mucus membranes and to protect from lung and oral cavity cancer. Purslane contains the highest content of vitamin A among green leafy vegetables.
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Q: Does purslane raise blood pressure?
A: Consumption of purslane for 5 weeks led to a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and a borderline significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure in persons with type 2 diabetes.
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Q: Is purslane better raw or cooked?
A: The vitamin C content will be best preserved when purslane is eaten in its raw form. Conversely, the fat-soluble vitamin A it contains would be best absorbed when prepared cooked with a little bit of fat, such as olive oil.
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Q: How do you prepare purslane for eating?
A: The leaves are hearty enough to stand up to light sautéing in a pan—try wilting them with garlic. Or throw the purslane into a grilled panzanella—the lemony bite goes well with grilled bread and vegetables. You can even toss some cooked purslane into a taco, where it will be a bright counterpoint to creamy avocado.
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Q: Is there a poisonous purslane?
A: They are poisonous and should not be consumed. Oftentimes the leaves and stems of spurges are densely to sparsely hairy, while those of purslane are hairless or possess only a few inconspicuous hairs. Spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata, formerly Chamaesyce maculata) is poisonous and should not be consumed.
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Q: How often can I eat purslane?
A: Given the findings in research, it can be concluded that you can consume purslane in a limited amount every day (18). Purslane is an edible weed with a rich nutritional profile. The many benefits of purslane can be attributed to its wide variety of vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fats, and antioxidant composition.
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Q: What does pink purslane taste like?
A: Edibility – 4/5 – A delicious, mild, succulent green leaf with an earthy beetroot flavour.
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Q: How do you take care of pink purslane?
A: Although Purslane thrives in difficult conditions, they still benefit from a regular drink of water. As a general rule, one deep watering per week during hot, dry weather is sufficient. However, a little extra water won’t hurt if the soil drains freely. Purslane thrives in intense heat and punishing sunlight.
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Q: Do purslane grow back every year?
A: Is Purslane Annual Or Perennial? Purslane is an annual in all but the warmest climates in the country, but it does self-seed.
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Q: Will purslane come back after winter?
A: You can grow purslane year-round as a microgreen, and all summer long as a vegetable. In fact, you might find the hardest part of cultivating this tangy green is keeping it from growing a little too well.
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Q: How do you keep a purslane blooming?
A: Sunlight. Common purslane prefers ample sunlight and needs 6-8 hours of sunlight every day to thrive and produce vibrant flowers. plant it in a sun-facing area of the garden or put the potted plant on a sun-facing balcony. Insufficient light causes fewer blooms and wilting petals and leaves.
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Q: Should you cut back purslane?
A: Harvest the purslane stems by collecting the stem, but don’t cut too short to enable regrowth. Better to harvest young purslane stems, since the leaves are more delicious. The younger the purslane leaves, the more they melt in your mouth.
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Q: Is purslane toxic to dogs?
A: Purslane contains soluble calcium oxalates. This property is what makes it toxic to your dog. Soluble oxalates are composed of potassium and sodium salts of oxalic acid. Once ingested, the oxalates are quickly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract leading to symptoms of toxicity.
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Q: Will purslane take over the garden?
A: Purslane can re-root itself from even a fragment of stem or leaves left in the soil, and mature plants shed up to 50,000 seeds for new growth. That’s why this aggressive weed can quickly take over large sections of your yard and divert water and nutrients from your grass.
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Q: What is purslane used for?
A: Use. Purslane has been used as a vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids and is high in vitamins and minerals. It possesses marked antioxidant activity. Roles in abnormal uterine bleeding, asthma, type 2 diabetes, and oral lichen planus are suggested; however, clinical studies are limited and diverse in nature.
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Q: Can I eat purslane everyday?
A: Given the findings in research, it can be concluded that you can consume purslane in a limited amount every day (18). Purslane is an edible weed with a rich nutritional profile. The many benefits of purslane can be attributed to its wide variety of vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fats, and antioxidant composition.
Source

Q: How do you prepare purslane to eat?
A: The leaves are hearty enough to stand up to light sautéing in a pan—try wilting them with garlic. Or throw the purslane into a grilled panzanella—the lemony bite goes well with grilled bread and vegetables. You can even toss some cooked purslane into a taco, where it will be a bright counterpoint to creamy avocado.
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Q: Is purslane good for sleep?
A: Aside from the vitamins, purslane also contains Glutathione, which protects cells from damage. It also has some melatonin, which helps you keep a normal sleep cycle. Try eating purslane with your dinner to help yourself get a good night’s sleep!
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.