BEAUTIFUL & EDIBLE - DUAL PURPOSE GARDEN PLANT - PURSLANE
For those of you who know @papa-pepper, you know that I prefer plants that I can eat.
The way I figure it, if something is going to be cared for by my family or taking up some of our space, we would like something in return to the privilege. Of course, I also have a beautiful wife that I like to shower with lovely things, so flowers can be a bonus to have around. Just look at how striking these ones are.
PURSLANE
This wonderful plant is a succulent that does very well in poor soil and even hot climates. Not only do some varieties have some amazing flowers, this common "weed" can be found in many countries all over the world. Unfortunately for those who consider it to be a weed, they are really missing out on some nutrition.
These succulent leaves are tasty and can be either be eaten raw or cooked like a vegetable. Some people will use them in salads or salsas, and many even consider it to be a super-food. In my Edible Outdoors post featuring wild Purslane, I pointed out the following nutritional benefits.
- More Vitamin E than Spinach
- More Beta Carotene than Carrots
- Excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin C
- Riboflavin
- Considered by some to be a super-food
Thought the flowers of this variety can be distracting, the leaves are a welcome guest on our plates anytime. The flower colors and sizes with vary by variety, but the plant can be recognized even without any flowers on it by the trained eye. This is some wild Purslane that I found growing in the garden.
It is a different variety than the ones that I bought at the greenhouse, but it still has the same great flavor.
If it grows wild, why are you buying it?
I enjoy expanding the varieties that I have available, so I am always seeking to diversify. The Purslane plant is an annual, so it only grows for one year. Fortunately, the plant produces a lot of seeds. This means that I should be able to grow my own from seed with what this plant produces. Also, if I get some growing in an area where we like it, it should be able to reseed itself, and act like a perennial even though it is an annual, meaning that it could show up in the same place year after year.
We will see what happens, but for now, @mama-pepper has some pretty flowers to look at and I have another plant that I can eat. It's not really a compromise, but more of a complementary relationship. For those of you who are limited on space, why not find a beautiful variety like this and have your own potted edible beauty growing on your porch or balcony?
Have any of you ever tried Purslane? If so, was it wild or one of the ones that plant breeders have created?
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-edible-beauty
Until next time…
Don’t waste your time online, invest it with steemit.com
@papa-pepper, I've always loved purslane, and I got seeds for it once it just never grew... though maybe my dog ate it and we'll never know! My mom has a degree in botany and I showed her this post and she said (I'm translating this from Icelandic haha) - it's good.. he just should have added in the scientific name, portulaca oleracea! Anywho I loved your post! I was actually gonna start doing a botany series on the flowers, and herbs in my family's garden. So I call dibs on rosemary and roses! Just kidding, I'll defer to your posts first and foremost! Say hi to the @little-peppers for me!
Yeah, the scientific name, right! Thanks!
I'm glad your mom told you to include the scientific name, its kind of pretty and suits that flower as its also pretty. :D
so beautiful, i am happy to just look at it
omg.... so amazing!
It is an amazing plant!
Those might be the prettiest colors on a purslane that I've ever seen! Sadly, the wild version just doesn't grow on my land, so I planted a bunch in pots and raised beds. It reseeded itself just as you thought it would and I haven't had to plant purslane in a couple of years now. It doesn't seem to care about the burnin' Texas sun either! Thanks for another great post. If It's okay, let me just add that if someone does choose to buy purslane at the nursery for pretties AND eaties, then they may wish to wait until the plant grows out a bit. The ones in the big box stores are often sprayed like crazy with pesticides. You may wish to wait for clean foliage to grow in. Thanks again, and hope I didn't offend by adding in my two cents!
That's so true for plants from nurseries, big box stores, and other commercial sources for pretty plants, like the local grocery store, quick-mart, or hardware store. Between fertilizers and pesticides, eating straight from the planter wouldn't be a good idea. It does keep people from grazing the plants they have for sale, though, lol!
Hahaha, I suppose you've got a point there! No one will be sampling the merchandise!
I've been tempted to sample some plants myself, so it's probably good that the stores do that!
I bet it stops the grazers! LOL!
You are right! The folks I got this from have their own organic nursery and greenhouse, and don't use the nasty stuff. However, often it would be covered in pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which are not good to eat! Thanks for adding that!
**AWESOME..!! :D @papa-pepper **
Thanks! He's really freakin out there isn't he?
Purslane is indeed a "super food." It's full of the minerals that most of us, no matter how clean our diets are, are short on. We had it just show up as a weed in our front yard here in the desert southwest. I juice it along with vegetables. Thank you for the article because it's important that people know you can get a lot of bang for your buck with purslane.
That is right, foods like this are so good for you. I am glad that you have your own growing and that you are enjoying eating it!
upvote nice job i love nature
Thank you!
I just love edible flowers, I've noticed more and more restaurants using them and now can't get enough!
I'll have to check on the actual flowers, as I've always just eaten the leaves. I do love a good, tasty flower though!
Great post, very informative. I did not know that you could eat the leaves, but I will try them.
I'm new here on steemit, just getting started.
I will follow you
Adding this flower to my salad will be great as you indicated that it is edible. Always enjoy your posts
Actually, I've never tried the flower itself, just the leaves, but they are amazing.
Great, then try it first (as the original poster) before I do ...I am sure it will be great