Purslane Seeds: Summer Purslane, Winter Purslane and Miner's Lettuce

Classic summer purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is the true purslane plant. It loves warmth, grows quickly and is used mainly in the warm season as a fresh wild vegetable. The fleshy leaves taste mildly tart, slightly nutty and pleasantly fresh. They go well with salads, herb quark, vegetable dishes, cold cuisine and summery mixed salads.

Winter purslane is botanically a different plant. It is usually Claytonia perfoliata, also known as miner's lettuce. It is grown mainly in the cooler season and provides tender leaves for winter salads, herbal blends and fresh greens when many other leaf vegetables no longer grow. When buying purslane seeds, it is therefore always worth looking at the botanical name.

In the kitchen, summer and winter purslane complement each other very well. Summer purslane brings juicy, slightly tart leaves to the kitchen in the warm months, while winter purslane is especially interesting for autumn, winter and early spring. Both are best harvested young and fresh, when the leaves are particularly tender and aromatic.

Purslane varieties are also attractive for the garden because they need little space and can be grown well in beds, raised beds or pots. Summer purslane copes well with warm, rather dry conditions and is easy to care for. Winter purslane, by contrast, prefers cooler temperatures and is especially suitable for harvesting in the cold season.

Purslane was long underestimated as a simple wild vegetable, but is gaining new appreciation thanks to its fresh flavour and uncomplicated cultivation. Anyone sowing purslane seeds can grow fast-growing leaf vegetables that easily enrich herbs, salads and vegetable dishes.

• Seeds for summer purslane, winter purslane and miner's lettuce
• Fresh leaf vegetable with a nutty-tart flavour for salads and herb cuisine
• Fast-growing plants for beds, raised beds, pots and seasonal harvests