Growing in Richmond

Best time to plant purslane in Richmond

Portulaca oleracea

Also called common purslane, pursley, little hogweed

Sow purslane in Richmond in Oct to Feb.

Purslane is a succulent plant that can be eaten whole, raw or cooked, since every part is edible. Around 40 cultivars are grown, and cultivated forms tend to be more robust with bigger seeds. It should not be confused with winter purslane, a plant from another family.

When to sow in Richmond

Richmond, NSW is in the temperate zone. The zone also plants in Sep, but Richmond's frost dates make those months risky for a frost-tender crop.

Not yet checked against a local guide.

Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.

Frost in Richmond

Frost usually arrives in Richmond around late May and finishes by early September. In about 1 year in 10 it comes as early as early May or as late as late September, so frost-tender crops are planned around those dates.

From its Bureau of Meteorology station, 1991 to 2020, counting a night at 2°C or lower as a frost. Frost hollows and hillsides can shift these dates by weeks, so ask the growers at your garden too.

On a shared plot: can spread

Self-seeds freely. Harvest before it sets seed so it stays out of neighbouring plots.

Growing details

How to start
Sow directly in the bed
Sowing depth
3mm
Plant spacing
60cm
Row spacing
5cm
Height
30cm
Germination
7-10 days at 15-35°C
Time to harvest
50-60 days
Frost
Frost tender
Sun
Full sun
Life cycle
annual

These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.

Purslane elsewhere

Purslane across Australia