Uses for Purslane

I got a little of this at a plant swap a few years back for my curbside barrels and it just took off growing. I just ripped some of it out and placed it in an area in my yard were grass will not grow and it spread like crazy and looks amazing. This is a beginner friendly plant and drought plant.

Purslane (Portulaca L.)

Description - This evasive weed as a  smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems and alternate leaves clustered at stem joints and ends. A yellow flowers have five regular parts and are up to 6 mm wide. Depending upon rainfall, the flowers appear at anytime during the year. The flowers open singly at the center of the leaf cluster for only a few hours on sunny mornings. Seeds are formed in a tiny pod, which opens when the seeds are mature. Purslane has a taproot with fibrous secondary roots and is able to tolerate poor, compacted soils and drought.

Time of Year: Spring to Fall  

Location: World (originally from India) 

Click Here for map  If it does not grow in your area do a search to see what kind does.

Nutrient Content

Sodium, Patassium Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A and C

 

USES 

You can eat the Leaves and seeds.

Editable uses

Taste sour raw and sweet cooked

• The leaves can be burned and used as a salt. 

• young leave for salads

• Seeds can be grounded into a powder and used in gruels, breads and pancakes to add nutritional value. (they make around 10,000 seeds per plant)

• you can dehydrate the leaves to use later.

 

Medical Uses     Leave are high in omega- 3 fatty acids which can be important to preventing heart attacks and help immune system     The leave are also a great antibacterial and diuretic     The fresh juice is used in the treatment of coughs and sores     The leaves  poulticed van be applied to burns      A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of stomach aches and headaches     Both the tea and the plant juice are particularly effective in the treatment of skin diseases and insect sting     The seeds are tonic and vermifuge and are prescribed for dyspepsia and opacities of the cornea  Other Uses Has a blue color when used for dye.  excellent hog feed While considered an obnoxious weed in the United States, purslane can provide much needed vitamins and minerals in a wilderness survival situation. Ghandi actually numbered purslane among his favorite foods.