Plentiful purslane
You’re probably already growing purslane. And that could be good or bad.
Originally from India and the Middle East, this green succulent has long been a reliable food source for foraging humans. Mahatma Gandhi listed it among plants that should be grown to help people be self-sustaining.
But to many gardeners, purslane is a weed. The wild varieties, common purslane, grow in the cracks in city sidewalks, in gravel driveways and in gardens, intentionally planted or not. It is especially happy in Southern California.
“It’s such a giving and plentiful plant, why would you ignore it?” asked Randy Ziglar, who has been planting at Santa Monica’s Main Street Community Garden since 1977. “We overlook it because it’s so plentiful that we treat it like garbage, but it’s quite wonderful.”
The leaves resemble tiny jade, branching off of red-tinged stems (also edible) and knitting themselves into dense mats, carpets of green seemingly oblivious to abuse.
Purslane is tasty, like watercress with a tinge of citrus. Increasingly it’s popping up as a gourmet micro-green on salad plates, dressed with a simple vinaigrette. It works like spinach in soups and stews, and it can be stir-fried, sautéed, pickled or frozen. It’s a great nonfat filler and thickener for pesto, a crunchy addition to potato salad or a crisp bright bite in a sandwich. In Mexico, where it’s known as verdolagas, it’s a base for salsa verde. (The acid taste is highest in the morning; pick in the afternoon for a milder flavor.)
Getting it: You can always pluck a section of stem to transplant into your garden, but there are advantages to domesticated cultivars such as garden purslane or golden purslane, available in seed from www. territorialseed.com, among others. The leaves can be four times as large, and, unlike the ground-hugging wild varieties, these grow upright, making them easier to harvest and control.
And control is always an issue. One plant can produce more than 50,000 seeds. A 3-inch layer of organic mulch will slow it down. Be vigilant in removing the yellow flowers.