← Forage Calendar mapKnow 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 with no sap. 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
⚠ do not eatSpurge
Euphorbia spp. (various spurges)
Bondarev.gal · CC BY 4.0
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.
