It is often treated as a weed in gardens, but it is also a highly nutritious edible plant.

Does it need much water?

No, it is highly drought tolerant and prefers to dry out between waterings.

Plant guide

Common Purslane.

Portulaca oleracea

Pronounced por-tyoo-LAH-kuh oh-ler-AY-see-uh

Also known as Akulikuli-kula, Common Purslane, Duckweed, Garden Purslane, Little Hogweed, Munyeroo

Portulaca oleracea — Photo by Dan Johnson (CC BY) via gbif

Common Purslane is a hardy, succulent annual that thrives in warm weather. It is often found growing in garden beds or sidewalk cracks. This plant is edible and quite nutritious.

Another photo of Common Purslane — Photo by Георгий Виноградов (Georgy Vinogradov) (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual succulent
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 15 cm tall, 45 cm wide
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 2 to 11
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

Give this plant plenty of sun and well draining soil to keep it happy. Watch for wilting if the soil stays dry for too long during intense heat. It is very drought tolerant once established.

Watering: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer sparingly during the growing season.
Pruning: Pinch back stems to encourage a bushier growth habit.
Repotting: Repot annually if growing in containers to refresh the soil.
Soil: Sandy, loamy, or poor soil
Soil pH: 5.5 to 8.5
Temperature: 15 to 35°C
Humidity: 20 to 60%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Annual, completes its life cycle in one season.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Plant growth significantly slowing down.
Soil drying out much faster than usual.

Safety

People: The plant is generally safe to eat in moderation but contains oxalates that may cause issues for sensitive individuals.
Pets: This plant is considered non toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: Small children should be supervised as the tiny seeds can pose a minor choking hazard if ingested in large quantities.
Contact allergens: No specific contact irritants are known.
Airborne allergens: Pollen may cause mild respiratory irritation in highly sensitive individuals.
Edibility: Consult a professional before consumption as high oxalate levels can be harmful to those with kidney stones.

How to identify it

Fleshy, smooth, paddle shaped leaves
Reddish, succulent, prostrate stems
Small, yellow, five petaled flowers
Tiny, black, kidney shaped seeds

Height: 0.05 to 0.2m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.45m
Leaves: green, reddish, deciduous
Flowers: yellow, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: brown, Summer to autumn

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
White RustCommon
Root RotUncommon
Slugs and SnailsUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, cuttings
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: This plant is an annual and will die with the first frost, so collect seeds in late summer to replant next year.
In containers: It grows very well in shallow containers or hanging baskets due to its small root system.

Seed Sowing

1. Sprinkle seeds on top of moist, well draining soil.
2. Press them lightly into the surface without burying them.
3. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination occurs.

Use this plant as a living ground cover to protect soil moisture in hot, sunny garden beds.

Grows well with

Tomato — It acts as a living mulch that keeps the soil cool and moist for tomato roots.
Pepper — It provides ground cover that suppresses weeds around pepper plants.

Similar species

Moss Rose — It is a close relative often grown for its showy, colorful flowers.

Science

Family: Portulacaceae
Genus: Portulaca
Order: Caryophyllales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Likely North Africa and the Middle East, now naturalized globally.
Conservation: This plant is considered a widespread weed and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in disturbed soils and cracks in pavement where other plants struggle to compete.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: culinary greens, ground cover, medicinal herb

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 4/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 8/9
Temperature: 7/9
Moisture: 3/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is purslane a weed?: It is often treated as a weed in gardens, but it is also a highly nutritious edible plant.
Does it need much water?: No, it is highly drought tolerant and prefers to dry out between waterings.

Where the name comes from

The name oleracea means vegetable garden in Latin, referring to its history as a cultivated food plant.

Good to know

It is known as a succulent because it stores water in its leaves.
The plant can survive extreme heat and drought.
It is often considered a weed in gardens despite its nutritional value.
The seeds can remain viable in the soil for decades.

Also in

Drought-tolerant plants

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This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.