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Common Purslane - Portulaca oleracea

By Kelly Burke, About.com

Common Purslane

photo © Kelly Burke
Appearance:
Mat-forming with thick, fleshy, reddish-brown stems and succulent, rubbery leaves. Small yellow flowers form at the tips of stems. See botanical illustration.
Growth:
Thrives in sunny, hot weather. Often found in thin turf or new lawns seeded in the summer. Loves sandy, nutrient rich, loose or disturbed soil.
Physical Control:
Maintain healthy, dense turf. If planting a lawn in summer, let area lie fallow before seeding.
Chemical Control:
In spring, apply pre-emergent herbicides containing pendimethalin or balan. Spot treat with post-emergent, broadleaf herbicide containing triclopyr, or MCPP, 2,4-D and dicamba.
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