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Lythrum portula - (L.)D.A.Webb.

Common Name Water Purslane, Spatulaleaf loosestrife
Family Lythraceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Muddy margins of pools and puddles, but not in calcareous soils[17].
Range Europe, incl Britain, mainly central and northern areas but not the Arctic, east to the Caucasus.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Wet Soil Water Plants Semi-shade Full sun
Lythrum portula Water Purslane, Spatulaleaf loosestrife


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fice
Lythrum portula Water Purslane, Spatulaleaf loosestrife
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lythraceae_spp_Sturm46.jpg

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Lythrum portula is a ANNUAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft). It is in flower from June to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers wet soil and can grow in water.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Peplis portula.

Plant Habitats

 Pond; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 105, 177].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a wet soil. Dislikes alkaline soils[17]. This species was formerly cultivated for its edible leaves[2]. A prostrate plant, the stem rooting as it creeps along the ground[17].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring or early autumn in situ.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation (Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Tyva, Respublika, Yakutia-Sakha), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China (Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu (west)) NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (California) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Portugal AFRICA: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Lythrum salicariaPurple LoosestrifePerennial1.0 3-10 FLMHSNMWeWa232

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(L.)D.A.Webb.

Botanical References

17

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

   Tue Sep 16 2008

Tootin should be Tutin

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Subject : Lythrum portula  
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