How to Grow Winter Purslane (Miner's Lettuce)

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Lifecycle	annual
Edible parts	leaves, stems, flowers

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing and cold germination	0	Sow September to March while temperatures stay below 12°C (ideally 8-12°C), since the seed needs a cold stimulus; sow about 1cm deep and 5cm apart in rows 10-15cm apart. Germination takes two to three weeks (Plantura).
Thinning and establishment	1	Thin direct-sown plants to about 10cm apart, or plant out from modules at the same spacing, into loose, humus-rich sandy soil in sun or semi-shade (GrowVeg, Plantura).
Rosette growth	3	Plants form a rosette of succulent basal leaves reaching about 30cm; they tolerate mild frost outdoors but crop far more reliably under a cloche or in a cold greenhouse (Plantura, GrowVeg).
Cut-and-come-again harvest and self-seeding	4	Harvest from six to eight weeks after sowing, cutting mature leaves at least 2cm above ground with a sharp knife so plants regrow, from October through to April. Flowering shoots carry the distinctive fused disc-shaped leaf; deadhead unless self-seeding is wanted (Plantura, GrowVeg).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Sow late summer for autumn-to-early-winter harvest, or spring for a summer crop. Cut-and-come-again -- both leaves and flowering shoots are edible.

Winter Purslane, the Salad Leaf That Crops Through Winter

Filling the hungry gap

One of the hardiest salad crops there is, picking from October right through to April.

Self-seeds freely

Left alone it returns year after year -- readily enough to become invasive, so deadhead to keep it in check.

What the research guides add

Winter purslane is a cool-season annual, and the University of Washington propagation protocol sets out its timing.

• Plants grow well in the dappled shade of trees, producing a better quality crop; they thrive in moist, humus-rich soil but are happy in virtually any soil type, and do best in slightly shaded sites. (University of Washington)
• Direct seed 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost, ¼ inch deep and ½ inch apart in rows 8 to 12 inches apart; germination usually takes 2 to 4 weeks at 10°C. (University of Washington)
• Seeds of the wild plant need two months of cold, moist stratification for germination. (University of Washington)
• Time from germination to flowering varied from 33 to 90 days in one Columbia River Gorge population. Although only an annual, it usually self-sows when well sited, and plants may overwinter in zone 6 and warmer. (University of Washington)

Sources for this section

• University of Washington, Center for Urban Horticulture: Plant Propagation Protocol for Claytonia perfoliata

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

1. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine - Claytonia perfoliata
2. GBIF - GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Claytonia perfoliata Donn ex Willd.
3. Plantura - Winter purslane: how to grow miner's lettuce

   Annual reaching about 30cm, forming succulent basal leaves in a rosette; younger paired leaves fuse into a disc below the flower head, the defining feature of the species. Hardy, and the succulent leaves let it survive brief dry periods. Seed needs a cold stimulus and is sown September to March while temperatures stay below 12°C, ideally 8-12°C. Sow about 5cm apart at 1cm deep with rows 10-15cm apart. Wants nutrient-rich, loose, humus-rich sandy earth and a semi-shady site; does not tolerate salt. Ready to harvest 6-8 weeks after sowing; cut mature leaves at least 2cm from the ground with a sharp knife, between October and April. Self-pollinates and self-seeds annually -- deadhead to prevent uncontrolled spread.

These 3 sources are specific to this region. The full list of 5 sources behind this guide (BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, GBIF and others) is in the references of our UK guide to winter purslane (miner's lettuce); they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.