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Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.)

Common purslane, sometimes referred to as pursley or wild portulaca, is a weed of low-maintenance lawns, parks, institutional grounds, and athletic fields.

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Updated:

July 15, 2024

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Common purslane. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

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This species grows best in full sun and can tolerate poor soil conditions and moderate drought. Common purslane is often found in poorly maintained, thinning turf, and in newly established turf seeded in late spring or summer. Newly emerged plants are usually upright but tend to lie flat against the soil surface and spread outward from central growing points in roughly radial patterns. Common purslane is most noticeable during warm summer months.

Common purslane growing in a new lawn — Figure 1. Common purslane plants growing in a newly seeded lawn. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Life Cycle

Common purslane is a member of the Portulaca family and has a summer annual life cycle. Plants emerge from seeds from late spring to midsummer, produce taproots from central growing points, and spread laterally in radial patterns, but do not root at nodes. This species produces small yellow flowers during mid to late summer. Seeds remain dormant over the winter months then germinate and give rise to new plants in spring and summer of the following year.

Identification

Stems of common purslane are red or pink, with a smooth surface (no hairs), and lie close to the ground. Leaves are relatively thick and succulent, oblong or wedge-shaped, and up to 1.5 inches long. Leaf margins are smooth, rounded at tips, and taper to a point at the base. Leaves typically do not have petioles and are arranged opposite one another in clusters on stems.

Common purslane plants — Figure 2. Clusters of fleshy, oblong leaves of common purslane on red stems. Photos: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Common purslane produces very small yellow flowers (1/4 to 1/3-inch diameter) with five notched petals. Flowers are formed in leaf axils and open only in full sun. Seeds are produced in capsules that split when mature and drop seed onto the soil surface.

Figure 3. Flower of common purslane. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Management and Control

Infestations of common purslane in newly planted lawns can be reduced by establishing turf in late summer or fall. In established lawns, common purslane populations can be reduced by improving turf density through fertilization, regular mowing, and the use of turfgrasses well-adapted to site conditions. This weed can be controlled with various postemergence herbicides, particularly products containing two or more of the following active ingredients: 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPA, MCPP, triclopyr, or fluroxypyr. Some preemergence herbicides will control common purslane from seed but have no effect on emerged plants.

Some preemergence herbicide products labeled for control of common purslane from seed.

Active ingredients	Product name(s)*
dithiopyr	Dimension 2EW; Dithiopyr 40WSB
pendimethalin	Lesco Pre-M, Lesco Pre-M AquaCap
prodiamine	Barricade 65WG, Barricade 4FL, Prodiamine 4L, Prodiamine 65WG
isoxaben	Gallery 75DF

*Follow label precautionary statements, restrictions, and directions regarding tolerant turfgrass species, rates, and timing of applications.

Some postemergence herbicide products labeled for control of common purslane.

Active ingredients	Product name(s)*
2,4-D and 2,4-DP	Patron 170 (ester formulation)
2,4-D, 2,4-DP, and dicamba	Super Trimec (ester formulation)
2,4-D, clopyralid, and dicamba	Millennium Ultra 2**
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, and dicamba	Escalade 2 Herbicide, Escalade
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, triclopyr, and flumioxazin	Sure Power (ester formulation)
2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba	Trimec Classic, 3-D Herbicide, Primera Triplet SF, Threesome, Three Way
2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, and carfentrazone-ethyl	Speedzone
2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Surge
2,4-D, quinclorac, and dicamba	Quincept, Triad SFZ Select
2,4-D, quinclorac, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Q4 Plus
2,4-D and triclopyr	Chaser 2 Amine, Turflon II Amine
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, and triclopyr	Momentum FX2
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, triclopyr, and sulfentrazone	Momentum 4-Score
2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, and pyraflufen-ethyl	4-Speed XT (ester formulation)
2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Foundation
2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Tzone SE (ester formulation)
carfentrazone-ethyl and quinclorac	SquareOne
fluroxypyr	Vista XRT
fluroxypyr, dicamba, and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl	Last Call Selective Herbicide
MCPA, fluroxypyr, and dicamba	Change Up
MCPA, fluroxypyr, and triclopyr	Battleship III
MCPA, MCPP, and dicamba	Trimec Encore, Tri-Power Selective Herbicide
MCPA, MCPP, dicamba, and carfentrazone-ethyl	Powerzone (ester formulation)
MCPA, triclopyr, and dicamba	Lesco Three-Way Ester II, Cool Power (ester formulation)
MCPA, triclopyr, and dicamba	Eliminate, Horsepower
mecoprop	Mecomec 4 Turf Herbicide
mesotrione	Tenacity
pyraflufen ethyl	Octane 2% SC
triclopyr and fluroxypyr	Tailspin