NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/846037
16 NEBRASKAland • JULY 2017 Wild Edibles – Purslane By Julie Geiser My favorite wild edible is purslane (Portulaca oleracea). I admire its taste, texture, nutritional value and many different uses, and I cannot wait for this succulent crop to sprout every year. However, purslane is often sprayed or pulled, as it is misunderstood as an unwanted weed that will spread and take over an area throughout the summer months. You can find it growing rampantly in lawns, cracks in city sidewalks, roadsides, and vacant lots or crop fields. The leaves, stems, flowers and seeds are all edible and can be used many different ways. I love to pick the leaves and stems directly from the plant and eat them, knowing that these plants growing in my yard are free of pesticides. However, always wash plants before use. Their flavor is similar to watercress – slightly lemony and crunchy – and the leaves and stems are great in place of lettuce or pickles in a sandwich. Leaves, stems and flowers can be eaten raw in salads and smoothies or sautéed in oil and used as a side dish. They are also delicious in a stir fry mixed with other vegetables and rice or used in casseroles and soups. Young plants start to appear in June, and by July, they are readily available and will begin flowering. Purslane is a hardy, annual herb with numerous branches originating from a central root. The branches and leaves are smooth, fleshy and sometimes have a red or purple tinge to them. Leaves resemble a small jade plant and are flat, oval and are nearly opposite to randomly arranged on the branches. The flowers are small and yellow, and they typically open in the mornings when there is sunshine. The plant's seeds are small and contained in a capsule that opens into two parts. The seeds and loose stems will reproduce a new plant; the seeds can live up to 40 years in the ground and withstand extreme cold temperatures. If you wish to save the seeds, the plant can be seeded indoors in the spring to get a jump-start on the growing season. Purslane can also be transplanted and grown indoors for a month or so after the summer growing season. Purslane does have a poisonous look-alike called hairy- stemmed spurge (Euphorbia vermiculata), but it is easy to distinguish the two plants. Hairy-stemmed spurge has a milky sap that can be seen if you cut or snap the stem in two. Purslane has been dated back to prehistoric times, and in many parts of the world today, it is grown in gardens as a valuable food source. It contains more omega-3 in its leafy greens than eating fish or taking supplements, and it is also full of other vitamins and minerals. Purslane's other health benefits include stimulating blood circulation, protecting against osteoporosis, lowering bad cholesterol levels, and preventing macular degeneration, cataracts and some cancers. The only downside of purslane is that it contains oxalic acid, which may cause the formation of kidney stones. If you have problems with kidney stones, check with a doctor before consuming. However, boiling purslane in water eliminates much of the oxalic acid without losing other nutrients. Before eating any plant, make sure to positively identify it and do your research. ■ Purslane has numerous branches originating from a central root. By July the plant will take over the area where it is growing. Resembling a small jade plant, purslane is delicious alone or with vegetables and rice or used in casseroles and soups.