Common Name: Water Purslane

General Information

Ludwigia palustris is a perennial aquatic plant with slender reddish stems 5 - 30cm long, occasionally to 60cm. The stems are prostrate and rooting below and ascending or floating above[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western and southern Europe; southwest Asia; Africa (north and south); N. America - British Columbia to Nova Scotia, south to Mesoamerica

Habitat

Shallow pools in acid fens[]. Shallow water or wet soils[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Ludwigia palustris is a plant mainly of temperate regions, especially where the winters are not severe. It also extends into the subtropics and has spread into tropical areas of the Americas ans Africa,
A plant of shallow water or boggy land, it requires a fertile soil in a warm sunny position[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used in the treatment of phthisis (pulmonary tuberculosis), asthma and chronic coughs[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse at a temperature between 15 - 20°c. Immerse the pot so that it is 2 - 5cm below water level[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in containers of water in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring[].
Softwood cuttings in a frame in spring[].