Miner's lettuce (winter purslane): Edible winter salad & survival food

👉 The key facts from this guide

Have you ever discovered those small, round, almost UFO-like leaves that cheekily sprout from the ground even in the cooler half of the year?

Often found in gardens, fields, or along roadsides? Then you may have encountered the Common Dishcloth!

Also known as winter Purslane, Miner's lettuce, or even Cuban spinach – this little green guy has many names and is a real insider tip for all wild herb fans and bushcrafters.

Especially when many things are bare in winter, Claytonia perfoliata (its botanical name) gives us fresh, crunchy greens. And the best part: It's not only nice to look at, but also super tasty and packed with good things!

Let's take a closer look at this inconspicuous treasure.

This is how you recognize the plate herb: A distinctive design

The great thing about plate cabbage: It is really difficult to confuse once you know its most important feature.

The trademark: The "plate" on the stem

Take a closer look at the flower stem (if it is already there, usually from February/March).

This is the absolute hallmark – hence the name in german "Tellerkraut" (like "plate herb") and the botanical designation perfoliata (perfoliate). Pretty cool design by Mother Nature, right?

Here is a short video about it:

Additional Features: Meaty, Heartfelt, Small

• Growth: The Miner's lettuce is an annual, rather small plant that typically grows to a height of 7 to 20 cm (sometimes up to 30 cm). It often grows in dense groups.
• Basal leaves: Before the flower plate forms, the plant produces a rosette at the base. The first leaves are rather elongated to rhombic-oval, sit on long stems, and are typically fleshy. Later basal leaves typically become heart-shaped.
• Flowers: The small, delicate flowers are white or sometimes slightly pink and appear from about April to June (sometimes as early as February) in small groups above the "plate".
• Location: The Miner's lettuce originally comes from the western part of North America (from Alaska to Central America). However, it has been introduced to Europe (a so-called neophyte, a "newcomer") and loves nutrient-rich, rather moist soils in fields, gardens, and ephemeral weed patches. It often appears after the first strong spring rains.

Risk of confusion? Rather unlikely!

This is the beauty of the plate herb: Due to the unique, plate-shaped leaves growing on the flower stem, a confusion with other plants is hardly possible once you know this characteristic.

Of course, as always: Only collect what you have identified 100% safely! But here nature really makes it easy for you.

Why Plate Cabbage Rocks: Survival Snack & Nutrient Boost

This little green friend has a lot to offer!

Vitamins for Gold Diggers (and for You!)

The leaves are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, and iron. The gold diggers during the California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century already knew that!

For them, "Miner's Lettuce," as it is called there, was an important and readily available source of vital nutrients to prevent scurvy and deficiencies.

Various tribes of the First Nations also used it as food and medicinal herb (e.g., for rheumatism, eye pain, or loss of appetite). Another advantage: Miner's lettuce contains low nitrate, which can be a problem with many other cultivated salad plants.

Wintergreen, when nothing else grows

Since Miner's lettuce loves cool temperatures and its seeds only germinate well below 12 °C, you can often harvest it throughout the entire winter (in milder regions) into spring. Hence, the name "winter purslane." A real blessing when the menu is otherwise rather sparse!

Off to the Kitchen: Enjoying Plate Cabbage

The best comes last: What does the stuff taste like, and what can you do with it?

Edible Parts & Harvest Time

You can eat almost everything from the plate cabbage: leaves, stems, flowers, and even the roots!

• Leaves & Stems: The main season is from November to April. Harvest the young, tender leaves and stems. If you don't cut them too deep, the plant often regrows, and you can harvest multiple times.
• Flowers: The small white flowers (April-July) are a pretty and edible decoration for salads and other dishes.
• Roots: The fine roots are said to have a sweet, chestnut-like flavor when cooked (I haven't tried them in larger quantities yet, as the leaves are the highlight).

Taste & Use

• Raw: The taste is mild, slightly sour, somewhat sweet, and wonderfully crunchy! It reminds me of a mix of young spinach, lamb's lettuce, or the "real" (summer) purslane. Perfect as a base or addition for wild herb salads. Just wash and enjoy!
• Cooked: You can also sauté purslane like spinach briefly. However, it loses its crunchy texture and becomes a bit softer, almost slimy. In my opinion, it is unbeatable raw. The older the plant, the more I would use it cooked.

Storage

Freshly picked tastes best! If you need to store it: Place it loosely in a bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and into the fridge (2-4 °C). This way, it will last a few days (up to 6-8 days).

A globetrotter with a story

The name "Cuban spinach" is somewhat misleading. The plant originally comes from North America. Settlers brought it to the Caribbean (including Cuba), from there it traveled through Australia and New Zealand and finally arrived in Europe in 1749.

Today, the salad sold as "Common Purslane" is mostly grown in greenhouses, but with a bit of luck, you might find its wild relative right at your doorstep!

Conclusion: A Must for Wild Herb Fans!

The common plate herb is a fantastic wild vegetable: easy to recognize, difficult to confuse, available almost all year round (especially in winter!), delicious, crunchy, and healthy.

Keep your eyes open – maybe your next salad is growing right around the corner! Dare to try it and taste this little green globetrotter.