It is often considered a weed in gardens, but it is also a highly nutritious vegetable.

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.

Plant guide

Purslane.

Portulaca oleracea

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

Also known as 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.

At a glance

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

Care

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

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
Stunted growth despite adequate light and water.

Safety

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.

How to identify it

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

Common problems

Aphids — Small insects that cluster on new growth and suck sap.
White rust — A fungal infection causing white pustules on the leaves.

Growing it

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.

Grows well with

Tomato — Purslane acts as a living mulch that keeps the soil cool and moist for tomato roots.
Pepper — It helps suppress weeds around pepper plants without competing for nutrients.

Keep away from

Similar species

Moss Rose — This is a close relative grown primarily for its showy, colorful flowers rather than for eating.

Science

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

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 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.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Portulaca comes from the Latin word for gate or entrance, while oleracea means vegetable garden.

Good to know

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.

Is your purslane looking unwell?

This page is a general guide. Pocket Botanist diagnoses problems from a photo of your actual plant, works out watering for your light and conditions, and reminds you when care is due.

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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.