Native to warm temperate regions and widely naturalized around the Mediterranean basin and elsewhere in the world, purslane ( Portulaca oleracea ) has carved out a discreet but reliable place in kitchen gardens. The Golden variety, with its golden-yellow-green leaves, adds a luminous touch close to the ground, like an edible carpet that weaves its way among other crops.

In the garden, this small, spreading annual quickly covers the ground with its fleshy stems and thick, smooth, succulent leaves. Its small, discreet but regular yellow flowers during the warm season mark the beautiful consistency of its summer cycle. It's a reliable plant for the organic vegetable garden: easy to grow, undemanding, and generous with tender foliage for everyday cooking.