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Common Name: Pink Purslane

General Information

Claytonia sibirica is a Evergreen Annual/Perennial up to 0.15 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Siberia. Western N. America - Alaska to California. Naturalized in Britain.

Habitat

Damp woods, shaded streamsides etc, especially on sandy acid soils[, ]. Thickets of red alder, dogwood, vine-leaf maple, moist shaded coniferous forests from sea level to 2000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Annual/Perennial
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very tolerant and easily grown plant, it prefers a moist peaty soil[] and is unhappy in dry situations[]. It succeeds in full sun[] though is happier when given some shade and also grows in the dense shade of beech trees[].
Plants usually self-sow freely[, ].
This is an excellent and trouble-free salad plant. It is extremely cold-hardy and can provide edible leaves all year round in all areas of the country even if it is not given protection[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, , ]. They usually have a fairly bland flavour and are quite nice in a salad or cooked as a green vegetable. The leaves have a distinct earthy after-taste rather like raw beetroot[]. They are available all year round but can turn rather bitter in the summer, especially if the plant is growing in a hot dry position[]. Although on the small side, the leaves are produced in abundance and are very easily harvested[].

Medicinal

The plant is diuretic[].
A poultice of the chewed leaves has been applied to cuts and sores[].
The juice of the plant has been used as eye drops for sore red eyes[].
A cold infusion of the stems has been used as an antidandruff wash for the hair[].

Other Uses

A good ground cover plant for a shady position[]. This species is a short-lived perennial but it usually self-sows freely and gives a dense weed-excluding ground cover[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates rapidly.