Kerala Herbals
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Photo: (c) Tyler Ekholm, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Purslane

Portulaca oleracea

FamilyPortulacaceae
SanskritLonika
हिंदीकुल्फा
മലയാളംകൊഴുപ്പ
Parts usedwhole plant

Purslane is a low, succulent herb with reddish stems, fleshy paddle-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers. It grows almost everywhere in warm climates, including gardens and field edges across India and Kerala, and all parts of the plant are edible raw or cooked.

Known as Lonika in Sanskrit, it is eaten as a leafy vegetable and has a place in Ayurvedic and folk practice as a cooling herb, used in traditional preparations and soothing applications for the skin. The whole plant is the part used.

Articles are for general information about Ayurveda and personal care and are not medical advice. For any health condition, please see a qualified doctor.

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