Common Name: Purslane

Botanical Name: Portulaca oleracea

Family: Portulacaceae

Type & Use: Annual with edible foliage and flowers

Location: Sun to partial shade

Planting Dates: Spring

Planting Method: Seed or transplants in the spring after frost danger is gone

Seed Emergence: I bet fast, but not sure. The seed are tiny. I just buy transplants or let the wild ones sprout and grow.

Harvest Time: Harvest the foliage any time.

Height: 2-6 inches

Spread: 12-18 inches

Final Spacing: 12 inches

Growth Habits: Low growing and spreading succulent annual herb

Culture: Drought-tolerant and heat-loving. Not much needed to maintain a healthy crop.

Troubles and Solutions: Few problems, if any

Harvest and Storage: Foliage and stems can be picked and eaten fresh. Pick the flowers fresh and use as garnish.

Notes: Also called moss rose and portulaca. This tasty herb is loaded with vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals. The organiphobes still recommend spraying this great food with broadleaf weed killers. The so-called weed has more food value than the hybrid flower varieties. However, both are good.

Varieties: ‘Goldberg’