When foraging Florida or any other coastal community in the southern regions there are many wondrous plans and animals to harvest. From sand crabs, clams, fish, to sea grapes, and sea purslane the abundance for Florida foraging never ceases to amaze me.
Sea purslane is a perennial herb commonly found along coastal dunes in the southeastern United States, as well as Hawaii, the Caribbean, and many other coastal regions of the world. Sea Purslane is a an important sand stabilizer in the pioneer zone of beach dunes and can tolerate occasional flooding by sea water.
With deep pink stems and leaves ranging from pink to green, Sea Purslane can be found growing along beach dunes and brackish coastal areas in large, sprawling mats just above the high tide line. Pink flowers sometimes bloom during the day and attracts bees and other insects.. Ecologically, sea purslane plays an important role as a pioneer species on beaches, and it’s currently used extensively in dune restoration projects.
This plant contains vitamin A and is high in Vitamin C as well as containing Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Iron, and Calcium. There are also traces of VitaminsB1, B2, B3, Folate, Copper, and Phosphorus. Purslane is said to have been used to treat scurvy in the past. In some places, the smashed leaves have also been applied to wounds caused by venomous fish. Sea purslane has mild anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. With only 16 calories in a serving Sea Purslane is arguably one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world, calorie for calorie.
This salty snack can be eaten raw as trail side nibble or in salads as well as boiled briefly and served as a side dish. On recent five day camp on a nearby island I harvested sea purslane, boiled it lightly, and served it as a side dish to fresh caught fish. The result was a wonderful wild foraged meal cooked over an open fire. It doesn’t get much better than that.
