Portulaca oleracea
broadleaf weedUSDA zones 3–10Active: summerSucculent summer annual with thick, fleshy leaves. Actually edible and nutritious but unwanted in lawns. Thrives in hot, dry conditions.
Thick, fleshy, paddle-shaped leaves; reddish-purple succulent stems; small yellow flowers; prostrate, mat-forming growth.
Easy to pull due to succulent stems. Remove from lawn entirely as stem fragments can re-root.
When: Pull before flowering; bag and dispose
Purslane needs heat and bare soil. Maintain thick turf to prevent establishment.
When: Fill thin/bare areas in spring
Standard three-way herbicide controls purslane when applied to young plants.
When: Apply in early summer to young, actively growing plants
Active ingredient: 2,4-D + Dicamba — e.g. Trimec
Grass safety: always match herbicides to your grass species — products safe on Kentucky bluegrass can kill St. Augustine or centipede. Lawn Guardian checks this automatically against your lawn profile.
Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.
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