Pocket BotanistGuía de plantas
Purslane.
Portulaca oleracea
Pronunciación por-tyoo-LAY-kuh oh-ler-AY-see-uh
También se conoce como Akulikuli-kula, Common Purslane, Duckweed, Garden Purslane, Little Hogweed, Munyeroo
Purslane is a resilient, succulent annual known for its trailing habit and edible, nutrient-dense leaves. It thrives in warm weather and often pops up in gardens as a hardy groundcover. You will love how easily it grows in sunny spots.
De un vistazo
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Succulent annual
- Light
- Full sun
- Indoor light
- direct
- Water
- Every 5 to 10 days
- Mature size
- 15cm tall, 45cm wide
- Growth rate
- fast
- Hardiness
- USDA 2 to 11
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early autumn
Cuidados
Give this plant plenty of sun and well-draining soil to keep it happy. Watch for wilting if the soil stays too dry for too long. It is quite drought tolerant once established, so do not overwater.
- Watering
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
- Feeding
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month during the active growing season.
- Pruning
- Pinch back the tips to encourage a bushier, more compact growth habit.
- Repotting
- Since it is an annual, you typically do not need to repot it.
- Soil
- Sandy, well-draining soil
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7.0
- Temperature
- 10 to 35°C
- Humidity
- 20 to 50%
- Drought tolerance
- high
- Lifespan
- Annual, typically 1 growing season.
- Deer and rabbits
- moderate
Señales de que necesita trasplante
- Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
- Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
- Stunted growth despite adequate light and water.
Seguridad
- People
- This plant is generally considered non-toxic to humans when consumed in moderation.
- Pets
- Purslane contains soluble calcium oxalates which can be harmful to pets if ingested in large quantities.
- Children
- The small seeds and succulent stems pose no specific ingestion risk, but always supervise children around any garden plant.
- Contact allergens
- There are no notable skin irritants associated with this plant.
- Airborne allergens
- It is not known to be a significant source of airborne allergens.
- Edibility
- While purslane is edible, it contains high levels of oxalates which can be harmful to individuals with kidney stones or related health conditions.
Cómo identificarla
- Fleshy, paddle-shaped green leaves
- Reddish, succulent stems
- Small, five-petaled yellow flowers
- Forms low, spreading mats
- Height
- 0.05 to 0.15m
- Spread
- 0.2 to 0.45m
- Leaves
- green, deciduous
- Flowers
- yellow, 0.5 to 1cm
- Fruit
- brown, Summer
Problemas frecuentes
- Aphids — Small insects that cluster on new growth and suck sap.
- White rust — A fungal infection causing white pustules on the leaves.
Cómo cultivarla
- Propagation
- seed, cuttings
- When to plant
- Spring, Summer
- Overwintering
- It is an annual that will die back with the first frost, so you should collect seeds in late summer if you want to replant next year.
- In containers
- It grows very well in shallow containers or hanging baskets due to its trailing habit.
Seed Sowing
- Scatter seeds on the soil surface in late spring.
- Press them lightly into the soil without burying them deep.
- Keep the area moist until germination occurs.
Stem Cuttings
- Snip a 3 to 4 inch stem cutting from a healthy plant.
- Remove the lower leaves.
- Place the cutting in moist soil or a glass of water until roots form.
Use purslane as a low growing ground cover beneath taller vegetables to conserve soil moisture.
Buenas compañeras
Mantenla lejos de
Especies parecidas
- Moss Rose — This is a close relative grown primarily for its showy, colorful flowers rather than for eating.
Ciencia
- Family
- Portulacaceae
- Genus
- Portulaca
- Order
- Caryophyllales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- Likely native to North Africa and the Middle East, though it is now naturalized globally.
- Conservation
- Purslane is a widespread, naturalized species and is not of conservation concern.
It thrives in disturbed soils and open, sunny areas where it can spread rapidly as a ground cover.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source
- Pollinators
- bees, butterflies
- Uses
- culinary greens, ground cover, container filler
A lo largo del año
Indicadores ecológicos
- Salinity
- 4/9
- Soil reaction
- 6/9
- Light
- 8/9
- Temperature
- 7/9
- Moisture
- 3/9
- Nutrients
- 5/9
Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.
Lo que más preguntan
- Is purslane a weed?
- It is often considered a weed in gardens, but it is also a highly nutritious vegetable.
- How do I eat it?
- You can eat the leaves and stems raw in salads or lightly sautéed.
- Does it need much water?
- No, it is quite drought tolerant once established.
De dónde viene el nombre
The genus name Portulaca comes from the Latin word for gate or entrance, while oleracea means vegetable garden.
Bueno saberlo
- It has one of the highest omega-3 fatty acid contents of any leafy vegetable.
- The plant can survive extreme heat and drought by using a specialized form of photosynthesis.
- Purslane seeds can remain viable in the soil for many years.
- It was historically used in folk medicine to treat various ailments.
¿Tu purslane tiene mal aspecto?
Esta página es una guía general. Pocket Botanist diagnostica problemas a partir de una foto de tu propia planta, calcula el riego según tu luz y tus condiciones, y te avisa cuando toca cuidarla.
Esta guía se ha generado con IA y se ha cotejado con la taxonomía de GBIF. Es información general, no asesoramiento botánico ni veterinario. Descubre cómo elaboramos estas guías.