Purslane belongs to the Portulaca genus and is a sappy herb. The juicy leaves are attached to short stems growing from a round, succulent, red stalk; the whole plant has a prostrate habit. Tiny yellow flowers cluster on the branches in mid-summer, opening only at noon. Each bloom is followed by a seed case. Purslane was once an important salad and pot herb, and its culinary uses have recently been rediscovered. The smooth small leaves have a refreshing lemony tang a pleasant surprise to crunch on when eating a mixture of salad greens. Gardeners appreciate purslane’s red stems and stalks for color in herbaceous borders, especially when grown together with the contrasting golden-leaved purslane, P. sativa. The latter is edible too, but is not as hardy as green purslane.
History and mythology
The Portulaca genus is distributed all over the world. Purslane is thought to be native to China, Japan, the East and West Indies, and parts of Europe. The cultivated green (or garden) purslane, P. oleracea, is said to have first been developed in the Middle East and, through ancient trade routes, found its way to other parts of the world, including Britain and parts of Australia, where it is now naturalized. I have seen it grow wild in our garden at Dural, in Australia. In the middle ages it was recommended as a cure against “blastings of lightenings of planets.” It was said to be good for “teeth set on edge with eating of sharpe and sour things.” It was believed to be an anti-magic herb, and a protection against evil spirits.
Cultivation
Purslane seed can be sown in late spring to early autumn (fall) in a sunny position. Prepare the ground by digging some compost, or rich loam, into light, well-drained soil. Make drills 7-10 inches (15-20 cm) apart and water well. If seedlings are watered in dry weather, purslane’s leafy stems will be ready to pick in four to six weeks. Keep plants free of weeds. Gather purslane before the plant flowers, then after one or two pickings cut it back and it will shoot again. Successive seed sowing every two to three weeks is recommended so that new plants come on when the first ones have finished.
Harvesting and processing
Purslane is eaten fresh and does not dry well. Sometimes thick stems of old mature plants are sliced and pickled for the winter store cupboard. Gather 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) leafy stems as you need them for salads, then when becoming bare cut the plant low and after a short time it will produce a fresh crop of foliage. After doing this once more, the original plant will be depleted and new purslane, having been sown earlier, should be ready to pick.
Various uses
Culinary
Having tried purslane’s leaves and young stems in salads, and sampling their fresh zest, they become an interesting ingredient to mix with other leafy greens. Purslane is the right herb to accompany rich food as the plant’s astringent properties help cleanse the palate. Older shoots were traditionally cooked as a pot herb, and the pickled stems were put into winter salads. This herb is an ingredient in some soups, in particular the French soup bonne femme, and it is also an important ingredient in the Middle Eastern salad fatoush. Add a few leaves to broths and to spinach while cooking. Thinly sliced brown bread sandwiches with cream cheese and a few purslane leaves have a peppy taste.
Purslane is a popular salad ingredient in Syria and Lebanon, and goes into raw vegetable salads in Greece and Cyprus; this succulent herb also features in a typical Armenian cucumber and yogurt salad. Its Arabic names are “ba’le,” “bakli” and “farfhin,” in Armenian it is “perper,” in Greek, “glystiritha.”
Medicinal
Historically, purslane had medicinal uses for many complaints, such as easing dry coughs, assisting the pain of gout, allaying excessive heat in the forehead and temples, and soothing sore mouths and gums. The 16th-century herbalist and writer John Gerard advised that purslane eaten in salads with oil and vinegar “cooled the blood and caused a good appetite.” Today it is known that purslane contains calcium, iron, and phosphorus, another good reason for eating this herb.
Cosmetic
Herbal beauty experts say that healthful herbs work just as effectively on the inside as they do on the outside: they Aid the working of bodily functions while also helping to clean the skin. Purslane leaves and buds are recommended for salad. Mix them with many other herbs including rocket, hyssop, broom buds, and grapevine tendrils for a delicious, interesting, and healthy salad.
Companion Planting
There is no evidence at present that purslane has a specific advantage for companion planting, but remember that growing as many herbs as possible is good for the vitality of the whole garden.
