Binomial Name: (Portulaca oleracea)
Purslane is a broadleaf annual succulent herb in the Genus “Portulaca” and a member of the family “Portulacaceae. Purslane is a tough weed to remove due to its numerous survival strategies. It can resurrect repeatedly long after you believe you’ve destroyed it. Purslane is an edible plant that grows abundantly in gardens and landscapes. Purslane is frequently grown as a garden herb in the US Hardiness Zones from 5 to 10 during summer and spring in full sun. Otherwise, it succeeds in growing up to an elevation of 4600 feet in nutrient-rich, sandy soils having low moisture retention capacity. Generally, it grows in established gardens and cropped areas giving low to medium competition to desired plants.
Origin and Distribution in the US
Purslane has its lineages in North Africa and Southern Europe to the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, found primarily in North America, with certain species also occurring in Arabia. Although the species' status in America is unknown, this exotic plant is believed to arrive in North America during the pre-Columbian era. Purslane need only partial to full sun and a clear soil to develop. It is not particular about the type of soil and the availability of the nutrients; however, it does grow better in dry conditions. Purslane is most frequently found in planting beds and at the borders of turfgrasses in lawns. It thrives in orchards, vineyards, crop fields, trimmed areas, grassy lawns, and unsettled places such as roadsides and walkways.
Identifying Purslane
Purslane gets its identification by the fleshiness of the leaves. The stems are robust and succulent, with a crimson hue, and form dense carpets up to 20 inches in diameter. Moreover, the leaves are fleshy and grow alternately on the stem, but they are often clustered enough to appear parallel or slightly curved. The flowers appear individually or in bunches of two to five. The flowers are tiny, with five petals and an orange-yellow, purple, or white-pink tint. Usually, They primarily open on hot, bright days between mid-morning and early afternoon.
Lifecycle and Growth Pattern
A mature Purslane plant is capable of dispersing its seeds away from the mother plant, infesting several additional areas of the land. It can re-grow through any section of its stems or leaves. Just a small fragment of the plant that remained in the soil may regenerate. The purslane plant often reproduces by seeds that begin to sprout in early spring to summer and continue to grow until late summer. Seeds can remain latent in the soil for up to 30 to 40 years and may germinate at a soil temperature as high as 90 degrees. Purslane seeds can continue to ripen long after the plant gets plucked from the ground. Therefore, if you discard Purslane weed in your compost heap or garbage, it will still develop and produce seeds in your garden soil.
Fun Facts About Purslane
Purslane-Prevention & Control
Cultural Control
Culturally controlling Purslane needs addressing while the plants are still young to avoid seed dispersal. Prevention is the most effective strategy for dealing with common Purslane because being a productive seed producer, is nearly impossible to eradicate once it has grown. While considering different ways of prevention and control, the best part is that an individual purslane plant will usually cover a vast area, so clearing your yard through hand-pulling will be much easier. But on the other hand, you must be extremely precise in eradicating the weed to prevent it from re-growing. One of the most effective ways to combat Purslane is to have a well-fed and manicured lawn. Additionally, mulching is another excellent strategy to keep Purslane out of garden beds since an organic mulch layer can suffocate Purslane seeds and inhibit them from germinating. Ensure to bag any purslane that has been pulled in plastic or paper and avoid adding the plants to your compost; otherwise, when you distribute the compost, they will reseed in your yard.
Chemical Control
Control using Pre-Emergent Herbicide
Barricade Professional Grade Granular Herbicide
Using a pre-emergent herbicide before the growing season can help prevent Purslane from returning to your lawn. Barricade Professional pre-emergent weed control helps to keep weeds from growing in the first place. It is primitive to know that Barricade needs spreading at a few inches below the turfgrasses, but it does keep weeds from growing beneath the turf. Barricade is one of the best and most cost-effective granular weed preventers on the market, containing (0.48%) Prodiamine. Barricade herbicide can be used in early spring before the soil temperature exceeds 55 Fahrenheit at a four-inch depth to prevent summer annual weeds in both Northern and Southern turfgrasses. Its application at this stage will prevent the germination of weed seeds. It is effective against over 30 grass and broadleaf weeds and applies to developed lawns and landscape beds. Barricade application requires irrigation or moderate rainfall of at least 0.05 inches to activate its active ingredient.
- Apply this product only in EARLY SPRING and FALL
- Barricade professional-grade pre-emergent weed control is designed to prevent weeds, and will not aid in eliminating existing weeds.
- Contains 0.48% of the active ingredient prodiamine - Labeled to prevent over 30 grass and broadleaf weeds
Control using Post-Emergent Herbicide
2;4-D Amine - Weedar 64 Herbicide
Weedar-64 herbicide is a selective herbicide that has been carefully developed to provide broad-spectrum control of annual, biennial, and permanent broadleaf weeds. It contains the active component 2,4-D, which efficiently kills and controls weeds, including Purslane. The 2.5-gallon jug contains 46.8 percent active Dimethylamine Salt of 2,4-D. It readily dissolves in water to generate a high-quality solution, which makes it extremely efficient to use.
- Description: Nufarm Weedar 64 is a selective herbicide which provides broad-spectrum control of annual, biennial, perennial broad-leaf weeds.
- For use In: Asparagus, Cereal Grains, Corn, Fallow-land, Crop stubble, Orchard floor, Rice, Soybeans, Sugarcane, Range-land, Forests, Ornamental Turf-grass, Fence-rows, Drainage Ditch-banks, Aquatic and Irrigation Ditches. See Product label for complete list.
- Shelf life: Weedar 64 Herbicide will last 3 years when stored in a cool, dry environment.
To spray Purslane and other broadleaf weeds, dilute 1 ounce of Weedar in 1 gallon of water.
Trimec Classic
Trimec Classic can treat more areas than any other premium three-way herbicide. Trimec Classic was the first broadleaf weed control product produced, specifically for turf, and has long been recognized as the university standard in field trials. It is a cost-effective solution when reliable weed management is required. Trimec Classic controls Purslane, and other significant broadleaf weeds in turfgrasses by providing efficient post-emergence control at a wide range of temperatures.
- Trimec Classic controls dandelion, clover, plantain, and many other listed weeds
- Ideal for use on golf courses, residential lawns and commercial property
Learn How to control and get rid of other weeds in our complete Yard Weeding Guide.