Yard strategies

Purslane, pigweed are nutritional powerhouses

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Maureen Gilmer | M cCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
Pigweed leaves are best harvested when less than 4 inches long to ensure flavor.

The purslane probably came into my garden with a load of steer manure.

Easily identified because of its thick and succulent stems, it creeps along the ground, surviving even on the hottest days.

The species Portulaca oleracea came to America from Europe, where it has long been part of the rural diet. Europeans let it run through the garden for a bonus crop that is eaten fresh or pickled.

No plant contains a richer concentration of omega-3 fatty acids per gram of weight. It also contains six times more vitamin E than spinach and seven times more vitamin A than carrots. Also present are vitamins B and C, plus calcium, folate, iron, lithium, magnesium and potassium.

Purslane can be cut fresh and added to salads or eaten alone with olive oil and herb salt. Chop and saute it with onion to put on eggs. Most recipe websites have purslane dishes.

Another exotic that has cropped up is pigweed or wild amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri). The plant was the primary grain producer for indigenous cultures before the advent of corn. Its seed, the size of a pinhead, can be popped fresh or added to bread dough, rice, pancake mix and other dishes. Many contemporary varieties of pigweed are grown for their seed, which is larger and more prolific than the wild plant’s.

Pigweed is rich in vitamin A, calcium and iron. Pick the youngest leaves before they become too large and bitter, then add to salads or cook as a pot green.