Growing Purslane

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Permalink Reply by Ben Ruesga on June 13, 2009 at 4:44pm

It grows in my alley, so it definitely does well here! I bought some from Home Depot last year, for some reason the wild purslane from my garden tasted much crisper and richer than the cultivated variety. I have it popping up already in parts of my yard.

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Permalink Reply by Judy Tobar on June 13, 2009 at 7:04pm

It grows and thrives here in Chandler too. Every spring it pops up all over my yard. Once I learned it was edible I stopped yanking it out like a weed and eating it. It's really good. I don't know where you could buy it though. Take a look around your neighborhood, and I bet you could dig up a little and transplant it to your own yard. I think once it gets going it will spread on its own and return every year.
Judy

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Permalink Reply by Nick on June 14, 2009 at 9:05am

I have successfully transplanted some from parts of my yard. I even experimented with a cutting...and it worked! The little stem that I plucked out started growing.

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Permalink Reply by Liz & Dan on June 14, 2009 at 9:16am

I bought some different varieties from Bakers Nursery, the difference was in the flower colors (yellow, pink and red). Don't know if they still have them, but I would recommend digging some up from another member of the Guild who has it and says their variety tastes good. Taste is the most important consideration. :) and yes, cuttings should work. Purslane should do very well in your yard.

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Permalink Reply by Susan on June 15, 2009 at 11:52am

I had it all over my yard last year, and this year -- nothing. I went on a great search to find it, and most places locally don't sell it because it's considered an invasive weed.

It is an annual so if you don't let it flower/go to seed it won't come back, I don't think.

The good news is that I made a little sunken bed for my mom's cosmos seeds and although they were too old for good germination, I now have a very nice little bed of purslane I'm nursing along :) I guess disturbing the soil and getting rid of the grass allowed the purslane seeds that were buried to germinate.

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Permalink Reply by Michael and Lylah Ledner on June 15, 2009 at 2:39pm

With all these wonderful replies, I humbly say that I'm ignorant of what purslane is....anyone got a picture for me to see? I'm fascinated now....

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Permalink Reply by Michael and Lylah Ledner on June 15, 2009 at 2:41pm

Looked this up - Amazing...I'd LOVE some too :-)

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Permalink Reply by Nick on June 15, 2009 at 2:44pm

Summer Winds Nursery on Tatum, just North of Bell has a TON of plants. They are bigger than the plants I had in my yard but I tasted a couple of leaves...good! (I hope someone saw me do it and thought huh? haha)

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Permalink Reply by Susan Solleder on June 15, 2009 at 3:01pm

Now that's the ticket-a cultivated variety that tastes good too!! Thanks Nick.
Susan

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Permalink Reply by Susan Solleder on June 15, 2009 at 3:06pm

Thanks to all of you have replied and given me more information than I started with. I'm new to this community and appreciate all of your feedback and down to earth answers. I look forward to learning more and networking with the group.
Susan

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Permalink Reply by Janine on July 12, 2009 at 9:24pm

we have TONS of purslane, free for the taking. We water a LOT. We use it in our salads, it's a verrrrry healthy salad ingredient. Full of Vit C. And we have no pets, so it's all clean. It's a tasty little morsel. Not as bitter as some I've had. However, it's the bitterness that's the healthiest for you. 35th ave and peoria

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