Is the purslane tree the same plant as purslane?
Many people have eaten a wild vegetable called purslane, but there is also a bonsai plant called the purslane tree, so is the purslane tree the same as purslane?
1. Is the purslane tree the same as purslane?
The purslane tree is not purslane; it is a perennial succulent herb or subshrub, while purslane is an annual herb in the purslane family (Portulacaceae), often eaten as a wild vegetable.
2. The purslane tree
The purslane tree is a plant in the purslane family, also known as long-life vegetable, five-element grass, vegetable, purslane, sour rice vegetable, longevity vegetable, and so on. It is distributed all over the world, and in China it is mainly found in the south.
The purslane tree originates from Mozambique in southern Africa and the Transvaal province of South Africa, and its place of origin has a tropical wet-dry seasonal climate; this tree species likes warm, dry and sunny environments, tolerates drought and partial shade, and can now be cultivated in many places around the world.
The purslane tree is generally propagated by cuttings, carried out during the growing season, using robust branches as cuttings, with no strict requirement on length. Before inserting, remove the lower leaves and let them dry for 2 to 4 days; after the cut surface dries, insert them into a culture soil made of 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts coarse sand and 1 part garden soil. After insertion, keep the soil slightly moist and it will root easily.
3. Basic introduction to purslane
Purslane generally grows on field edges and roadsides. It contains relatively many physiologically active substances and a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, and has the functions of regulating nutrition and treating diseases.
Purslane is produced in both the north and south of China. It likes fertile soil, tolerates drought and also waterlogging, and is a common weed in fields. It is widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions around the world.
If you want to cultivate purslane, it is generally propagated by seed, sown in April in spring. On well-prepared land, make a 1.3 m wide bed, open holes at a row and plant spacing of about 25 cm each, about 5 cm deep, apply human and livestock manure water, mix the seeds evenly with wood ash, and sprinkle them evenly into the holes.