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Prairieland Community Purslane Recipes
Think of it as a weed, and you'll be missing out on one of the most nutritious greens on the planet. Purslane has more beta-carotene than spinach, as well as high levels of magnesium and potassium. Historically it has been used as a remedy for arthritis and inflammation by European cultures.

Wildman Steve Brill
A Guide to Wild Edible Plants for Parents and Teachers to Use With Children. Purslane is one of my favorite summer vegetables, with a mild, sweet-sour flavor and a chewy texture. Its reddish stem, nearly as thick as a computer cable, creeps along the ground, rarely getting taller than a pint of milk.

University of California Weed Photo Gallery (C'mon now)
Common purslane, a summer annual broadleaf plant grows rapidly in spring and summer and is an important agricultural weed. It is found throughout California to about 4600 feet (1400 m) and is common in agricultural areas and other disturbed places. Although it thrives under dry conditions, common purslane competes well under irrigated conditions.

Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide (C'mon now and stop the hate)
Weed Description: Prostrate, fleshy, succulent summer annual that is able to tolerate poor, compacted soils and drought. Common purslane is a common weed of gardens, horticultural and agronomic crops and is found throughout the United States.

University of California IFAS Extension
Purslane is another of the weed plants commonly found in Florida that are eaten occasionally as a vegetable, although it is not grown in gardens or collected as frequently as pokeweed and amaranthus pigweed. Purslane derives from the Latin "portulacca" and the old French "pourcelaine." It sometimes is confused with a different common weed called Florida pusley (Richardia scabra). In fact, purslane is often called pusley and pussly, in addition to kitchen purslane, garden purslane, and fatweed.

Horticultural Promotions for South Central Texas
Purslane is the heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant flower which is sometimes referred to as the Dolly Parton flower because it blooms from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new, larger-flowered Eubi-type purslanes are just as spectacular and show- stopping as Miss Dolly's personal attributes. The smaller blooming "weedy" cousin of the cultivated Dolly Parton flower as well as Dolly herself have suddenly become the belles of the garden among creative chefs and nutritionists.

Illinois Wild Flowers
This introduced annual plant forms a spreading mat up to 6" tall and 2' across, branching frequently at the base. The stems are round, thick, and succulent. They range in color from light green to reddish brown. The leaves are alternate or nearly opposite and sessile along the stems. They are up to 1" long and ½" across, obovate or oblong, glabrous, and smooth along the margins. Like the stems, the leaves are rather thick and succulent. They are usually shiny green, sometimes becoming reddish purple in bright sunlight. There is a tendency for the leaves to cluster toward the apex of the stems.

Journal of the American College of Nutrition
Omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and glutathione determined in leaves of purslane (Portulaca oleracea), grown in both a controlled growth chamber and in the wild, were compared in composition to spinach. Leaves from both samples of purslane contained higher amounts of alpha-linolenic acid (18:3w3) than did leaves of spinach. Chamber-grown purslane contained the highest amount of 18:3w3. Samples from the two kinds of purslane contained higher leaves of alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and glutathione than did spinach.

Online Athens | Urban Forager: Get your vitamins with purslane
You may never have been formally introduced to purslane, but by the time you finish reading the column, you'll be glad to know this wild superfood, which is actually the eighth most widespread plant in the world. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a succulent, self-sowing annual that crawls along compacted soil. Its thick and fleshy leaves grow from a reddish stem, and its teeny, yellow flowers bloom only in daylight.

Local Forage | "Dude, where can I score some purslane?"
Though commonly used in many countries around the world, purslane (Portulaca Oleracea) has yet to really catch on here in this country. Also called pigweed or hogweed, this succulent leaf is excellent in stews and soups, yet also goes well with fresh cheeses like mozzarella or cottage cheese due to its salty, sour, zesty flavor. And it’s a tasty complement to pork and fish.

 Buy Purslane seedpod on Ebay - Price $1.95 with free first class shipping within the United States.

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