Purslane

Purslane Buying Guide

The plant is at its best when its small and still close to the ground. If you’re growing it in your own garden or know the person who does you should look for the plant before it reaches full maturity. It’s the thick stems that you should discard of either at the store or at home when you’re able to spot them better.

Purslane Production & Farming in Texas

Purslane started as a wild plant known for the fact that it can grow pretty much everywhere. This is what makes it such a great plant to grow commercially or personally for your own use, since it grows without having to prepare the soil too much or at all.

It will grow in rock gardens, flower borders and hanging baskets. There are commercial ventures for growing it as well, but there’s little preparation needed there as well. The ground should be kept clear from rocks and there should be enough sunlight at all times.

There’s nothing you’ll need to do with the plant once it’s planted. That’s what makes it so profitable and so easy to use. The only thing that’s expected from you is to harvest it when the time comes and that’s just before it’s fully mature.

The plant can become invasive and it was long considered to be a weed. That means that you need to keep harvesting or to tear it off with the roots if you plan to stop using it or it will overtake the land over time.

Pesticides

There are no pesticides in use to help the growth and care of purslane.

Geography

There is archeological evidence that the plant existed before any civilization. It’s known that it was produced or at least grown on its own in East Mediterranean countries. There are Greek and Roman sources describing it and its qualities but mostly as a weed.

It is known that it was enjoyed and eaten in the middle ages in Europe or at least in what’s today’s Italy. Now it’s grown everywhere n the world mostly in home gardens.

Packaging

There are no rules as to how this simple plant is packaged. It’s usually done by tying them in bundles with a simple string and selling them as such. They are also packed in larger plastic bags after they are sprinkled with some water in order to keep them fresh for a longer while. Purslane still needs to be used quickly.

Eating Purslane

The leafs of the plant as well as its seeds are eatable but most grow it for the leafs which are easy to produce and to harvest. The stem and the buds could also be eaten. Other than using them in salads and as addition to pastas, they could also be used in juices, sandwiches, dips, pesto, stir fries, quiches, soups, curries, stews, sauces and more.

The taste is a bit sour and bitter and that’s something to consider when adding to the dish. It should be used to make the dish more complex and to balance the qualities of other ingredients.

It works well with cucumbers and tomatoes since these are the opposite to it in taste and they complement each other.

Storage

It’s simple to store purslane after you’ve picked it. It should be placed in plastic bag and put into a fridge, in its colder part. It can stay in a fridge for a week or more if there’s no water added to a bag because that will make it rot faster.

Cooking

There are countless recipes with purslane that use the culinary tradition of a variety of different countries and cultures. Here’s on such recipe:

Roughly chop a cup of leaves and place them in a blender with plenty of olive oil, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, parmesan, and any nut of your choice (marcona almonds, if you’ve got them). Pulse, and you’ve got purslane pesto.

There are others as well and they are equally simple and they are mostly made by using purslane where the recipe calls for spinach or watercress.

Nutrition

It provides highest dietary minerals such as potassium (494 mg/100 g) followed by magnesium (68 mg/100 g), calcium (65 mg/100 g), phosphorus (44 mg/100 g), and iron (1.99 mg/100 g). Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) (Nutritive value per 100 g).

Purslane is rich in various antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds:  Vitamin C: Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an antioxidant that is essential for the maintenance of skin, muscles and bone Vitamin E: It contains high levels of a form of vitamin E called alpha-tocopherol. It may protect cell membranes from damage. Vitamin A: It contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body turns into vitamin A. Vitamin A is best known for its role in eye health. Glutathione: This important antioxidant may protect cells from damage). Melatonin: It also contains melatonin, a hormone that can help you fall asleep. It also has several other benefits. Betalain: It synthesizes betalains, antioxidants that have been shown to protect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles from damage

When Are Purslane in Season in Texas?