Purslane vs. Prostrate Spurge - which is which?

[@Damselfly54315]

Not in depth closeups enough to be best...purslane is not a true weed its a vegetable that some joker decided to CALL it a weed, invasive properties yes and probably why it was called a weed...but its actually grown at some farms here and trucked to cities and sold fir a big price!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

So true! It's a shame that it's considered a weed. It is an aggressive spreader, that's for sure, and that's probably why it's not considered desirable in veggie gardens.

[@Damselfly54315]

@@GardenUPLandscape thats my guess too, so EAT MORE OF IT 🤣

[@fabolvaskarika7940]

Same with dandelion…

[@anthonyruth5606]

And today I saw a purslane at Walmart pretty flowers they have white pink red orange and there’s the common one which I grow for food

[@Damselfly54315]

@anthonyruth5606 its truly good, mine grows in my front yard, IF I remember to grab it before the lawn mower, lol

[@clambarn1218]

Eat Purslane! Great sautéed. It's high in Omega 3 fatty acids and yes, they are easy to pull up.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

100%!

[@code-52]

I transplanted purslane to my rose garden. It's a beautiful mix.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Sounds great! What a lovely combination!

[@fowlercharlene3854]

Thank you so much for the explanation. I don't know the centimetersi. But the fact that you told us that the poisonous one has sap that I understand.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lbcanada8481]

EXCELLENT VIDEO!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thank you very much!

[@garymcmullin2292]

must say many comments fail to understand the classic agricultural industry definition of a weed is any plant growing where it is not desired or intended.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

I think those comments are from folks who grow purslane intentionally, so to them it is intended and wouldn't be considered a weed.

[@likatz21]

Euphorbia prostrata, also known as prostrate sandmat, is a common weed in the southern and central United States. Extracts of the plant have been studied and marketed in India as a treatment for hemorrhoids. The plant contains flavonoids, phenolics, and phenolic acids, which may be effective in treating bleeding hemorrhoids. Other uses of Euphorbia prostrata include: Ground leaves in water to help with difficult childbirth A decoction for its astringent, vulnerary, and anthelmintic properties A poultice for broken arms Crushed leaves to treat amoebic dysentery Some other types of spurge have been used for medicinal purposes, including: Euphorbia hirta, which is used for respiratory ailments, worm infestations, dysentery, jaundice, pimples, gonorrhea, digestive problems, and tumors Spotted spurge (E. maculata), which has been used in cholera Spurge tablets are also used to treat abdominal pain.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That's great to know! Thanks!

[@Archuart13]

Informative

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful

[@johannaduran6910]

Purslane can be steamed and eaten with cheese. Make some beans on the side and flour tortillas. Wonderful Mexican dish and cheap if you have the pleasure of having them in your yard. I have to get them at the market if in season or at the stores that carry Hispanic foods. LOVE THEM😋

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That sounds delicious!

[@garymcmullin2292]

spurge is a tough management chore, you are very correct about the camouflage, they can be near invisible. What really makes this weed a pain is that they are setting seeds at super small plant size when you would think it is a harmless seedling. When you weed, this is one you want to pick up and dispose of or the seemingly harmless carcass of a plant will have viable seed to cast off, that will add to the weed seed reservoir for the next season..and they produce a lot of seed.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

You've got that right! These little buggers are prolific!

[@rishikbaishya576]

Great👍🏾

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thanks!

[@Floridafilipinofruitforest]

Got to learn what edibles now a days.. with all this process food keep you younger.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That's the truth!

[@chadchemersin3658]

Thank you!! Liked' and shared!!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Awesome! You're most welcome and thank you!

[@jennifer1329]

So, to make it easy: purslane (edible) has yellow flowers, spurge (poisonous) has white flowers.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Yes, if they are flowering. I find it easier to ID the leaves.

[@johnslaymaker]

Love the detailed botany. Great vid. 👍

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thank you! I try to keep things as scientific as possible :)

[@LEXICOGRAFFER]

Really would love to see the W-word (weed) dropped from use when speaking of wild plants whether benign or injurious. "Weed" in this context is a magnet for Roundup users (not thinking of cannabis fans here)....it invites thoughts of destruction.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

I don't disagree with you, but it's such a subjective word that everyone has their own interpretation. The best definition I've heard is "a plant out of place". So a fancy rose can be a weed if it's out of place! Unfortunately Roundup users are going to spray most anything. But hopefully if they watch me enough they'll learn some better ways ❤️

[@eddiespagetti8395]

Cool they are all around my yard along edges of dirt road on property as well. It's all over. Cool. I am going to eat it Beautiful. Thanks for tips

[@GardenUPLandscape]

You are very welcome!

[@brianachenbaugh1470]

Can spurge and purslane coexist? Im thinking i have both in different parts but i dont want to assume Also, this came out of nowhere. When we first moved to this house we didnt have either resembling weed, now we are inundated with it. Where would it have come from?

[@lazygardens]

They both bloom early and set hundreds of seeds, so by the time you notice them they are already spreading. Brought back on your shoes, dog's fur, pooped out by birds ... they spread fast.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

They frequently co-exist - in fact I almost never see one without the other unless I personally and intentionally remove one of them (which I do in my veggie garden, I leave the Purslane but weed out the Spurge). And as the other commenter said, the seeds can come from anywhere. What is most likely IMO (depending on how long ago you moved in) is that the seeds were already in your soil, but the garden was either recently weeded when you moved in or the seeds were dormant waiting for the right time to germinate.

[@wilburcollins8342]

Very good explanation. Thank you!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

You are welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@michaelholm9784]

I have been battling purslane in my vegetable garden for 40 years and finally have seen progress. Also, I think it tastes terrible.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

It tastes better first thing in the morning ;) Do you have a shuffle hoe? Try hitting the garden with that every week or two and the annual weeds will be under control in no time!

[@michaelholm9784]

@@GardenUPLandscape I’ve used that style of hoe for 30 years along with others. I generally hoe every week. What impresses me mostly is how quickly the purslane emerges after a rainfall.

[@648Roland]

No mulch? :(

[@GardenUPLandscape]

I put wood chips down shortly after filming this. They are almost all decomposed now though, I need to get a new chip drop!

[@648Roland]

@@GardenUPLandscape I prefer to use compost or sugar-cane mulch in my garden but then I'm growing food plants and not bothered about being neat. Any woodchips I compost first or at least left in a heap for about a year. Central S.E. Australia is where I grow what I can to freely share around.

[@GeorgeCoggins]

i read that as prostate purge......the internet has ruined my mind....lol

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That's hysterical! Thanks for a good laugh! (And I totally get it, I mix up prostrate and prostate all the time 😆)

[@curiouscat3384]

what is that awful noise in the background? good content though

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Background noise is always a problem in my front yard unfortunately. Between traffic, wind and some years construction, it's been a challenge to say the least. I'm working on solutions for it, but so far sounds systems have only helped a little bit, and I absolutely hate getting to the stage of editing and realizing they didn't work at all and having to scrap a video or refilm it. So I now have an assistant that's working with software that cleans up background noise.

[@kathicraig6320]

Appreciate your expertise! Great info.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@StevieWonders2020]

I wish you would not call purslane a weed. It is a very nutritious and delicious salad green.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Any plant out of place is a weed, and I do intentionally grow this in my veggie garden, just not in my curb appeal gardens visible to my neighbors. ;)

[@imneverwrongsometimestruthlies]

@@GardenUPLandscape don't you like purslane blooms? Yellow, red, pink ones neatly placed looks nice..but then you must be having even better plants

[@oilofolady2363]

I want to eat some purslane but. I'm afraid because they spray pest/weed killers at my apartment.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

I would not eat it if it's been sprayed. Especially if you don't know the chemical name that they used. Are you able to grow some in a clean space? In a pot on your balcony with other veggies?

[@oilofolady2363]

@@GardenUPLandscape I think I will try it. It would be cool if I could use a little cutting to plant in a pot or find a way to get seeds from the plant. The nutritional index for this plant is incredible. I heard Parsley was supposed have a ton of nutrients but I think Purslane has more. Be careful if you're susceptible to kidney stones though because Purslane is high in Oxalate. If you eat it with yogurt it's supposed to prevent the Oxalate from doing whatever it does.

[@fruitsaladcowboy]

@@oilofolady2363 purslane produces a TON of seeds, so you’d definitely be able to plant it pretty easily :] i just got a bunch of seeds from the ones growing in my yard today

[@oilofolady2363]

@@fruitsaladcowboy Thanks for the encouragement! I will try it. I think they must be tiny.

[@shadowminister4090]

Upfront, I'd like to say I'm not intending to disparage the nutritional value of purslane, however, yes, it can be very invasive, persistent and it flourishes in poor soils. Over the last few years, we have been digging up wheelbarrow loads of it, but think we have it under control. If you find it's out of control in your yard, it's easy to dig up when the soil is moist and where possible, remove it before it has seeded. Purslane probably should be be grown in a confined space.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Agreed!

[@Usiris23]

I see it everywhere In my yard, here in Florida. Heard pollinators love the flowers so I’m okay with it growing, doesn’t look terrible either, since there is so much.

[@grounded7362]

I enjoy snacking on Purslane when I am out in the garden working and it makes a wonderful ground cover and it does not seem to compete with other things growing in my garden. This year I dug one of my garden beds to rebuild it and had purslane and wood soral (green leaves) come up throughout the bed. The seeds from these two plants must have been dormant in the soil for at least five years since that is when I built that garden bed originally and had not had either plant in that bed or anywhere nearby till this year. I am very excited to have both in this garden bed as I very much enjoy them both.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Same ❤️ I grow it around my tomatoes on purpose so I can have a snack while I water.

[@rebeccaspratling2865]

Beautiful garden. 🥰

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thank you! ❤😊

[@georgegates526]

Thanks for the warning!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

You're most welcome!

[@ritaholcombe9905]

No close-up photos?

[@GardenUPLandscape]

There are several close up shots during my explanations of how to identify each one. But I will say it was hard to keep these wispy things in focus 😆

[@randallalderman2260]

So if I understood you correctly, both of these are a type of Spurge by their common names ?

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Not quite, I discussed 2 types of spurge because they are so hard to tell apart: Spotted Spurge and Prostrate Spurge. The other weed is Purslane. Purslane is the edible one, all Spurges (that I know of) are poisonous.

[@mrsh8177]

I have a plant that grows in prostrate vines prolifically in my yard (Texas) and produces sticker burrs. Is there any redeeming value to this weed?

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Without knowing which exact weed it is I can't say. My first suggestion is to take a sample into your local Master Gardener Extension Office. If you just need help with identifying it so you can research any potential redeeming qualities on your own you could try a species ID app (iNaturalist is my favorite) or you can email me a picture at [e-mail]. I may not have personal experience with Texas weeds but I can at least point you in the right direction.

[@timhobbs1229]

We have that weed here in Washington. We call it Goat heads. It's bad. Pops your bike tires, sticks in your shoes, etc. get rid of it

[@Cass_Suitor]

Mine are just producing yellow flowers. I grow them in a small pot

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That's awesome ❤ Do you eat it?

[@MeaganRobison-oi8fu]

Good info!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Glad you think so!

[@user-yi7zj3lv5t]

purslane draws salt from the soil which is a good thing

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That's cool to know! What kind of salts does it draw? Does it prefer saltier soil - like is purslane good for rehabilitating soil after being contacted by salt?

[@user-yi7zj3lv5t]

@@GardenUPLandscape its good for fixing the soil yes

[@victoriasedletskaia113]

Estoy buscando esa planta y no la puedo encontrar,y aqui la echan a la basura.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Yep, it's sad that we just throw away such a valuable plant just because it seeds so easily and isn't as pretty as others. Where do you live?

[@cheeka686]

Too much info, moving around, far from camera. I will look it up myself. Thanks for trying.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thanks for the view and the feedback.

[@Scablander]

🔥👍

[@GardenUPLandscape]

lol, yeah that's one way to deal with it! Just make sure to have water near by.

[@donnastumme1729]

What is the name please of the plant near your left elbow at the end of the video that has the really dark red leaves as new growth?

[@GardenUPLandscape]

I think the plant you're asking about is my Euphorbia 'Miner's Merlot'. It's a beautiful landscape variety of Euphorbia. But in case that's not the plant you are curious about, here's the video of planting that bed where I show each of the plants with its info. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6OcoZ5vZbWfidU

[@donnastumme1729]

Thank You! Yes that is the one. One tough lesson I learned with a customer that vastly limited their water allowed for me to use to care for the newly planted yard areas was that the ground, as yours to plant was, like concrete, too. Nothing flourished in spreading out, nor any naturalizing. All the plant roots were as if still in a planter pot down inside the ground cuz they were not able to break thru to spread out. Just giving the plant itself a good soaking drink didn't nourish the outer garden ground dirt area for them to venture forth. :-(

[@GardenUPLandscape]

@@donnastumme1729 Sounds like what's needed are plants native & adapted to that specific soil. Or you could try amending the soil, but that's often an uphill battle. I assume you broke up the root balls during planting? You might also try a full root wash.

[@donnastumme1729]

Yup, always have not planted root bound. This was from a customer quite a # of years back and the lack of water for a new planting they alllowed really just barely kept anything alive. Thank you, planting native is a wonderful aspect. I have always been drawn to what treasure I find growing naturally apart from any human hands planting. Root wash is a new concept, too. You and all your extra help is much appreciated!

[@JonasH-w1o]

C u in the garden JH

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Definitely!

[@mrkultra1655]

👍🏻

[@GardenUPLandscape]

🙂

[@heatherhenry2342]

Thanks for the video

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Our pleasure!

[@hussaintengkusuraya4173]

In Malaysia Purslane know as Ros Jepun

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Cool, I did not know that :)

[@bencyber8595]

how many colors for the flower have ?

[@nabihahabibullah1577]

🤍

[@GardenUPLandscape]

💕

[@conniehubbell7383]

I'm amazed you got rid of nutritious purslane when whole planet starvation is facing us. PURSLANE is delicious with a nice texture can be eaten raw or cooked or even pickled with beets and eggs!

[@GardenUPLandscape]

I grow it on purpose with my veggies, just not in my front curb appeal beds.

[@anchinalumengist7265]

Where can I get the seed?.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

That is an interesting question that I've never considered. I assume you're asking about Purslane, not the Spurge. But either way, they both grow readily and pretty much everywhere here so I've never had to seek out the seeds, just allow the plants to exist and you'll get plenty for next year. I'm sure you can find Purslane seeds online though as some cultures grow it for food.

[@HiddenBlessingsHomestead]

I enjoyed the video but got a little lost in which one I was having described to me because you used the scientific names. It's great to learn the scientific names but perhaps next time stick with the common names when giving the differences, otherwise great video.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

Thanks for the feedback! I try to use both usually. I want to keep my channel as scientifically accurate as possible, which still being relatable.

[@kemonoyama2084]

stop calling pursuance a weed.

[@GardenUPLandscape]

You mean Purslane? Can't help that, if it's a plant out of place then it is a weed, beneficial or not. I just contain them to their space so they aren't weeds. I like to grow it under my tomatoes so I can snack on it while I water my veggie garden!

[@OutWestRedDirt]

Weed WEed WEEd WEED