# Common Purslane (*Portulaca oleracea*) Common Purslane is a small, leafy plant that grows close to the ground. It has bright green leaves and pretty yellow flowers that bloom in the sunshine. This plant is often found in gardens and can be eaten too! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Verdolagas ![Common Purslane](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Portulaca_oleracea.JPG&width=800) Photo: ZooFari, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portulaca_oleracea.JPG) ## Appearance The Common Purslane has succulent, reddish stems that spread along the ground, bearing thick, spoon-shaped green leaves. Its small, five-petaled yellow flowers typically open only in bright sunlight. This prostrate growth habit helps distinguish it from more upright garden weeds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Portulacaceae - **Genus:** Portulaca ## Interesting facts - It contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than many fish oils! - Its tiny seeds can stay alive in the soil for up to 40 years! - People have been eating this resilient plant for thousands of years. - This amazing plant can close its flowers at night to save energy! ## Special abilities - **Water Saver:** Common Purslane has juicy leaves that store water, helping it survive and thrive in hot, dry conditions. - **Super Spreader:** Common Purslane can re-root from stem fragments, allowing it to quickly spread and grow new plants. - **Sun Tracker:** Common Purslane can perform two types of photosynthesis, optimizing carbon capture in different light conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Spread:** 30-50 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.4-0.8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Eaten by:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Cornu aspersum*) — Snails and slugs graze on its leaves - **Eaten by:** Beet armyworm (*Spodoptera exigua*) — Larvae feed on the leaves - **Eaten by:** [Spotted cucumber beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-cucumber-beetle) (*Diabrotica undecimpunctata*) — Beetles can feed on its foliage ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Night Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/night-blooming): Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Succulent](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/succulent): Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before eating any plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Purslane? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Common Purslane? 5-15 cm ### How wide does Common Purslane spread? 30-50 cm ### How big are the flowers on Common Purslane? 0.4-0.8 cm ### When does Common Purslane bloom? Summer ### Is Common Purslane edible? Yes ### Is Common Purslane toxic? None ### What is Common Purslane's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [City Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/city-park) — Colorado, US · Park - [Santa Ana Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/santa-ana-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Dawson County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dawson-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Fort Sam Houston](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-sam-houston) — Texas, US · Historic Site - [Icehouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/icehouse-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Offshore Reefs Archeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/offshore-reefs-archeological-district) — US · Historic District [View all places to see Common Purslane](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-purslane) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Purslane: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-purslane)