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Pink Purslane

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Pink Purslane

Edible

Edible
Autumn

Autumn
Spring

Spring
Summer

Summer
Winter

Winter

A succulent and tasty plant with an almost beetroot like earthy flavour that can be found throughout the year, it flowers from April to July.

Hedgerow Type
Common Names Winter Purslane, Siberian Spring Beauty
Scientific Name Claytonia sibirica
Synonyms Montia sibirica
Season Start Jan
Season End Dec

Hedgerow Image

Leaves

The flower stem leaves grow in opposite pairs with no stem looking almost perfoliate.

Basal Leaves

Very Broadly ovate rather like an ace of spades. Dark green with a glossy surface. The basal leaves have long stems and are a bit spoon shaped,

Flowers

Has pink or sometimes white flowers with five petals each with a shallow groove in the end a little like the flowers of the Stellaria family. The petals have pink to purple veins and if the petal is really closely examined each has a yellowish spot towards the base.

Habitat

Damp woodland usually fairly close to water.

Possible Confusion

A distinctive looking plant with vague similarities to chickweed. Another possible confusion (without their flowers) could be Red Campion. However, it does not have the rounded leaf lobes that Pink Purslane has.

Taste

Succulent and earthy, almost beetroot like.

Frequency

Fairly common.

Collecting

The whole plant is edible but the spoon shaped basal leaves are the sweetest especially in Winter or Spring.

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