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Know this look-alike

Purslane vs Spurge: Telling Them Apart

These look-alikes can cause rashes or stomach upset. Identify carefully before harvesting. Edible purslane has thick, smooth, fleshy leaves and reddish stems, and a broken stem shows only clear, watery juice. Spurge is the common look-alike: it has thin leaves and bleeds a milky white sap when broken, which is an irritant and mildly toxic. The milky sap test settles it instantly.

The dangerous species

Spurge (Euphorbia spp. (various spurges))
Douglas Goldman · CC BY-SA
⚠ do not eat

Spurge

Euphorbia spp. (various spurges)

How to tell it apart

  • When stems are broken or injured they emit a milky white sap similar to dandelion. NC State Extension ↗
  • The sap of this plant is a mild skin irritant and can cause a rash in some people. Wikipedia ↗

Edibles people confuse with these

If you are foraging any of these, rule out the look-alikes above every time.

The notes above are an educational starting point, not a substitute for a field guide or an experienced forager. If you are not completely certain, do not eat it.