What Is the Difference Between Purslane & Sea Purslane?

Range

• Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), also referred to as common purslane, is a broadleaf succulent native to Europe, now naturalized in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 3 through 10. Because the plant is considered highly nutritious it is cultivated as an herb and vegetable. In contrast, sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum), also called shoreline sea purslane, is native to the southeastern coast and gulf region of the United States, where it tolerates wet, highly saline conditions. This plant is naturalized throughout the world, and is cultivated as groundcover in USDA zones 9 through 11.

Botanical Profile

• Purslane and sea purslane have similar common names, but are not related. Purslane is a member of the Portulacaceae family, which contains about 500 species of succulent flowering plants, including miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) and candy flower (Claytonia siberica). Sea purslane belongs to the Aizoaceae family, commonly known as the ice plant family, and sometimes referred to as the fig-marigold family.

Growth

• Purslane and sea purslane have similar growth habits in that they both are capable of forming dense colonies that can carpet the landscape quickly when given room to spread. However, purslane prefers dry, sandy soil that is nutrient rich, while sea purslane enjoys wet, nutritionally-depleted soil and can even tolerate being submerged underwater. In terms of flowering, purslane produces clusters of small, yellow blossoms from spring until fall, but the flowers of sea purslane are pink or purple and appear year-round.

Impact

• Common purslane imparts a sweet, but slightly bitter flavor, and is eaten raw in salads or cooked in stir-fries and soups. Sea purslane, while edible and a good source of vitamin C, has a very salty taste. Because purslane frequently is found growing in lawns, some people consider it a nuisance weed. Sea purslane, however, is regarded as beneficial to the ecology because it helps to prevent beach erosion by collecting and retaining sand deposits with its foliage.