Purslane
Purslane is a herb in the Portulacaceae family. It grows best in full sun with dry to medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-13. Plants reach harvest about 30–60 days after planting and sit about 6 inches apart.
Varieties
2 from True Leaf Market & Seeds Now · sorted by days to maturity▸Golden30–40 days
Heirloom; Vegetable; Annual
35 days. Purslane Golden is one terrific green! Super healthy, it is loaded with Omega 3- more than any other leafy vegetable, more than many fish oil, and has a strong presence of anti-oxidants. The thick, tart, succulent leaves can be eaten fresh or quickly stir fried.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Green40–60 days
Can tolerate hot temperatures; Grows well in full sun; Grows well with containers; Grows well with raised beds; Matures in <90 days; Super easy to grow
Perennial Low growing plant produces green leaves Used in salads and cooked like spinach Purslane is said to be effective in treatment of insect or snake bites on the skin, boils, sores, pain from bee stings, bacillary dysentery, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, postpartum bleeding, and intestinal bleeding Plant grows in poor soil and tolerates drought ⚠️ Always consult with your doctor and primary care provider before using or consuming herbs, flowers, seeds and/or plants for medicinal purposes.
View on Seeds Now ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space purslane about 6 in apart — that fits 4 plants in each 1-foot square (2×2). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your purslane planting
Add purslane to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Refrigerate stems in water, or wrap in a damp towel for a few days.
- Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.
- Freeze: Freeze chopped in oil or water in ice-cube trays.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Companion planting — with cited sources
From US/Canada cooperative-extension publications and peer-reviewed studies. Evidence-tier dots show how strongly each recommendation is backed: ●●● peer-reviewed mechanism · ●● extension consensus · ● traditional knowledge with a plausible mechanism.
Pairs well with (2)
- Common TomatoEvidence tier C: Traditional practice with plausible mechanism but limited empirical replicationmoisture-conservation
Used as a low living mulch to shade soil around tomatoes; control its spread.
Source: S7
- CornEvidence tier C: Traditional practice with plausible mechanism but limited empirical replicationmoisture-conservation, weed-suppression
Low, fleshy purslane forms a living-mulch groundcover that shades soil and conserves moisture beneath tall crops like corn.
Timing: Self-seeds prolifically — manage before it sets seed or it turns weedy.
Source: S7
Sources cited
- S7
- University of Minnesota Extension
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for purslane yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.