IDENTIFYING PURSLANE
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), also known as Verdolaga, is an edible weed that you’ll find only in the hottest months of the year in North America. Its succulent, spatula-shaped leaves spiral around the stem. Its stems are redish-brown and radiate from a central root. All parts of the Purslane plant are edible—leaves, stems, flowers and seeds.
There are 40 different varieties of Purslane. Commercial varieties tend to grow more upright and are easier to harvest than the wild variety pictured above. See the chart below for proper identification of edible varieties.
Common, Green, and Golden Purslane, also known as Verdolaga, has small yellow flowers with five regular petals about .25 inches wide. Ornamental varieties such as Portulaca grandiflora (Moss Rose) and Portulaca umbraticola have larger, multi-colored flowers.
Winter Purslane (Claytonia perfoliata), or Miner’s Lettuce, is not a member of the Portulaca genome, but we’ve included it here because it is edible and highly nutritious. Winter Purslane has small pink or white flowers with five petals and succulent, lilly-pad shaped leaves.
Purslane contains soluble calcium oxalates which are poisonous to cats. Purslane is irritating to a cat's mouth, so most cats don't eat enough to be fatal. If you suspect your cat has consumed a large amount of Purslane, they might need IV fluids to wash the toxins out of their system.
ARE ALL VARIETIES EDIBLE?
Click on or tap the images to see which varieties are edible.
