Winter Purslane, a Spring tonic, laxative and diuretic
Winter Purslane, Claytonia perfoliata (sometimes labelled Montia perfoliata), is more commonly called Miner’s Lettuce or Claytonia, but sometimes referred to as Indian Lettuce and Spring Beauty. It’s in the same family as Summer Purslane, and is an evergreen herb which reaches a height and spread of 12 inches (30cm).
Winter purslane is one of the few useful plants that can grow in full shade (in fact it prefers this), though it will not object even to full sun. It likes well-drained soil, moist for preference. It’s a native of the Western part of North America and is often found growing in shady areas. In full sun, it may turn red if the temperature is high over a long period.
Winter purslane has 2 different types of leaves on different parts of the plant. The ones shown above are found at the base of the plant, and the ones to the left are those found on other stems.
Winter purslane is most useful as food in Winter and early Spring, when not much else is available. It is rich in vitamin C and the leaves and flowers make a welcome addition to the salad bowl, selecting young leaves because older ones tend to become bitter. The leaves can also be cooked.
Medicinally, Winter purslane can be used as a laxative, diuretic and tonic. Make a standard infusion with 3 handfuls of leaves to 570ml (2.5 US cups, 1 UK pint) of boiling water. Leave to stand for 15 minutes to 4 hours, strain and use at a dosage of up to 1 cup a day (split into 3 doses, or sipped throughout the day).
A poultice made from chopped leaves mixed with very hot water and wrapped in tightly woven cloth (which is then applied to the area to be treated) can be used to treat rheumatic pain.
Winter purslane will grow in nutritionally poor soil, so there is no reason to fertilize with chemicals, making it easy to grow organically. It’s important to grow any herb intended for medicinal use organically, so as to avoid destroying the plant’s health-giving properties. To find out more about growing organic Winter Purslane visit the Gardenzone.
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May 22nd, 2009 at 19:20
If you can’t find purslane, or don’t like the taste of it, I found this compnay online that sells concentrated purslane in supplements, powder, and liquid form!! http://www.naturalplantation.com
September 28th, 2009 at 16:39
That’s great, and very useful information. Thanks!