UPDATE: Well. It has almost been 3 months since my last post. This is what happens when you get a new job and move across the country! I am now in DC, but still have some plants from Utah that I want to post before the season ends. I will now also include whether or not I have found the plant here on the east coast.
Okay, back to common purslane. This plant holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first plants I also noticed as a weed in my in-laws flower pot in Istanbul, Turkey. P. oleracea is often considered a weed, but its leaves can be eaten, and it is a commonly cooked in Turkey and around much of the world. One of the reasons this species might have such a worldwide is that is was distributed as food.
P. oleracea is in the Portulacaceae family (purlsane). The plant has succulent leaves (meaning they have thick fleshy leaves that hold a fair amount of water) and sweet yellow flowers. It is an annual and can be found throughout North America. I have observed it in both SLC, and now DC.
Okay, back to common purslane. This plant holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first plants I also noticed as a weed in my in-laws flower pot in Istanbul, Turkey. P. oleracea is often considered a weed, but its leaves can be eaten, and it is a commonly cooked in Turkey and around much of the world. One of the reasons this species might have such a worldwide is that is was distributed as food.
P. oleracea is in the Portulacaceae family (purlsane). The plant has succulent leaves (meaning they have thick fleshy leaves that hold a fair amount of water) and sweet yellow flowers. It is an annual and can be found throughout North America. I have observed it in both SLC, and now DC.