Plants

common purslane

Portulaca oleracea

Family: Portulacaceae · Genus: Portulaca

purslane, little hogweed, verdolaga, pigweed

Placenta I Ground cover Mulch biomass

common purslane — ZooFari · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

A prostrate annual succulent herb in the Portulacaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution and very common as a volunteer in gardens and pavements. It has reddish trailing stems, fleshy leaves, and small yellow flowers that open in sunshine. The whole plant is edible raw or cooked and is a notable source of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and mucilage; it is extremely drought-tolerant.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta I
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Ground cover
Strata: Ground cover, Low
Biomass class: Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Low
Drought tolerance: High
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 5.5–7.5
Preferred soil texture: Sandy, Loamy
Hardiness zones: 5–11
Frost tolerance: 0.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 0.1–0.4 m
Recommended spacing: 0.2–0.3 m
Root system: Taproot
Root depth: Shallow
Growth rate: Very fast
Lifespan: 1 year
Time to first harvest: 2 months
Productive lifespan: 1 year

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Naturalized
Caatinga Suitable
Cerrado Suitable

Köppen classes

Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
Hot semi-arid (BSh) Suitable
Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable
Hot-summer Mediterranean (Csa) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Common purslane takes the Ground cover stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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✂️ Management & Pruning

Cut-and-come-again harvest: snip the succulent tips of the trailing stems and the plant resprouts from the nodes, yielding several pickings. Pinch the tips to induce denser branching; being annual, it ends its cycle after fruiting.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: October, November, December, January, February, March

Fruiting months: November, December, January, February, March, April

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of common purslane?

The first harvest of common purslane comes around 2 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for common purslane?

The recommended spacing for common purslane is 0.2–0.3 m.

How tall does common purslane grow?

At maturity, common purslane reaches 0.1–0.4 m tall.

When does common purslane fruit?

Fruiting of common purslane occurs in November, December, January, February, March, April.

When does common purslane flower?

Flowering of common purslane occurs in October, November, December, January, February, March.

What stage and stratum does common purslane occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, common purslane belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the ground cover stratum.

Functions

Medicinal Ground cover Dynamic accumulator Fodder

Propagation

Seed, Cutting

Citations

Wikipedia (Portulaca oleracea) (description, root_system, drought_tolerance, propagation, height_max_m)
Wikidata (external_ids, scientific_name)
Zhou et al., Portulaca oleracea L.: A Review of Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Effects (functions, description)
Kinupp & Lorenzi, Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC) no Brasil (pruning_notes, lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, productive_lifespan_years, time_to_first_harvest_months)