Portulaca oleracea L.
Family: Portulacaceae
common purslane, little hogweed, purslane, pusley
Portulaca oleracea image
Merel R. Black  
Portulaca oleracea image
Paul Drobot  
Etymology: Portulaca: an old name, probably Latin, from words meaning "small gate or door" because of the capsule lid
Plants: matting, annual, 1"-20" tall forb, smooth, succulent; stems usually purple-red and with many branches
Leaves: succulent, 1/4"-1" long, oval to spoon-shaped, flat with rounded tip
Flowers: yellow, 4-6 (usually 5)-parted, 1/4"-1/3" wide, stalkless, mostly 6-10 stamens; inflorescence of a solitary flower or in small, rounded, terminal clumps; blooms June-Sept.
Habitat: disturbed sites such as gardens
Conservation Status: Introduced (?) - naturalized
Portulaca oleracea image
Paul Drobot  
Portulaca oleracea image
Merel R. Black  
Portulaca oleracea image
Emmet J. Judziewicz  
Portulaca oleracea image
Paul Drobot  
Portulaca oleracea image
Merel R. Black  
Portulaca oleracea image
Merel R. Black  
Portulaca oleracea image
Merel R. Black  
Portulaca oleracea image
Stephen L. Solheim  
Portulaca oleracea image
Paul Drobot  
Portulaca oleracea image
Paul Drobot  
Portulaca oleracea image
Christopher Noll  
Portulaca oleracea image
Kurt Stüber  
Portulaca oleracea image
Botanical Illustration  
Portulaca oleracea image
Botanical Illustration  
Portulaca oleracea image
Portulaca oleracea image
Aaron_Carlson  
Portulaca oleracea image
Aaron_Carlson  
Portulaca oleracea image
Portulaca oleracea image