| Purslane |
| Portlak, Portulak |
| Herb: Purslane, Portulaca oleracea (Common Purslane, also known as Verdolaga, Pigweed, Little Hogweed or Pusley), is an annual succulent in the family Portulacaceae. |
| Season: It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to July, and the seeds ripen from June to August. A good ground cover plant for a shady position. This species is a short-lived perennial but it usually self-sows freely and gives a dense weed-excluding ground cover. |
Use leaves - raw or cooked. Basically a salad herb and they usually have a fairly bland taste, add them chopped to salads. Young shoots can be cooked as a vegetable and served with butter they are also a good addition to soups. The leaves have a distinct earthy after-taste rather like raw beetroot. They are available all year round but can turn rather bitter in the summer, especially if the plant is growing in a hot dry position. Although on the small side, the leaves are produced in abundance and are very easily harvested.
Possible Substitutes:
Spice Mixes