Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: jonathan creason on June 14, 2010, 04:56:27 pm
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I've been reading quite a bit on eating this stuff, but I want to make sure I'm sticking the right weed in my mouth. If it's what I think it is it grows out in a circle from a single stem and stays pretty flat to the ground. What I'm pulling up is kind of "sticky" though, and when you pull a stem or leaf off there's a creamy, white sap. Neither of these things make it very appealing, but if it's the right plant I'll certainly give it a shot. I didn't achieve this physique by turning down food.
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If I has latex coming from it its prbably spurge and not purslane. Stems of purslane are usually red and crisp. I'll try and post a pic later
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Funny you should post this today. I just had a large purslane and spinach salad for lunch. I used to curse the stuff in the garden because I am a lazy weeder. Now it's a crop! ;D Thanks for last year's post, Jamie.
Since you are online, jonathon, do an image search onpurslane, it should clear up any questions.
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You can also head to your local nursery/garden center and look to see if they have purslane. It also goes by the name Portulaca. That way, you can see it up close. But, no, purslane does not exude a white fluid. Many plants that exude white fluids tend to be toxic or, at the least, very violent combo emetic-laxatives that give everything in your stomach and bowels the "two exits, no waiting" treatment. Plants in the Euphorbia family exude a highly poisonous white sap, for example.
But, here in Northern Arizona, we don't see our wild purslane until around July or August. So we got some Portulaca from the nursery and planted it in our yard. Hopefully, it'll take over.
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Funny you should post this today. I just had a large purslane and spinach salad for lunch. I used to curse the stuff in the garden because I am a lazy weeder. Now it's a crop! ;D Thanks for last year's post, Jamie.
Since you are online, jonathon, do an image search onpurslane, it should clear up any questions.
I tried yahoo images, but I can't convince myself I'm looking at the right stuff. Now that I know my original plant isn't the right one, I noticed last night what looks like some of the pictures I've seen online in my kids' sandbox.
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You can also head to your local nursery/garden center and look to see if they have purslane. It also goes by the name Portulaca. That way, you can see it up close. But, no, purslane does not exude a white fluid. Many plants that exude white fluids tend to be toxic or, at the least, very violent combo emetic-laxatives that give everything in your stomach and bowels the "two exits, no waiting" treatment. Plants in the Euphorbia family exude a highly poisonous white sap, for example.
But, here in Northern Arizona, we don't see our wild purslane until around July or August. So we got some Portulaca from the nursery and planted it in our yard. Hopefully, it'll take over.
That's probably the best idea. I was at Lowe's this morning and didn't think to go look.
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Many health food and natural food stores will carry the seed in their stores. I'll be online tonite and get a pic up. Its quite possible what you have near the kids play area is purslane. It loves to grow in open places. Can you post a pic of it?
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I'll try to get a pic this evening, as long as the thunderstorms cooperate.
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Didja ever figger out if you had the real purslane?
I have allowed it to go wild in my garden this year and have been hard pressed to eat it fast enough. I've fed it to plenty of folks in salads and no one has disliked it yet! I added about 10% purslane to a coleslaw and it didn't do much. I bumped it to 25% and it tastes pretty good. Will go 50/50 next.
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Here you go
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Those pictures are great, thanks. That's much better than anything I've found on an image search. Unfortunately, I don't think any of the 1,000 or so weeds inhabiting my yard look like that.
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Plant purslane. It'll take happily. Then you'll have some. ;)
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I gotta look for this stuff around the farm.
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If I can ever get my hands on some I do plan on potting it. From everything I've read the wild variety is much better than the cultivated ones, so I'm hoping to stumble across some to transplant.
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It's all over around here.
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Everything I see that has the smooth, red stems has longer and more slender leaves. I do have one weed in my herb beds that has very small white flowers, but the leaves look nothing like those pictures.
Maybe I need to head for the hills one weekend.