{"product_id":"miners-lettuce-organic-seeds","title":"Miner's Lettuce \"Winter Purslane\" (Claytonia perfoliata) Organic Seeds – Mild Succulent Salad Green, Shade-Loving, Cold-Hardy Cool-Season Crop","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e100+ Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMiner's Lettuce \"Winter Purslane\" — The Green That Fed a Gold Rush\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eCalifornia gold miners survived on this plant when scurvy threatened entire camps, and the name stuck. Miner's Lettuce grows a succulent, round leaf pierced through the center by its own flower stalk, a shape so distinctive it's unmistakable in the wild or garden. It thrives in shade and cold where most greens fail, self-seeding into a reliable cool-season patch. The flavor is mild and slightly juicy, closer to spinach than lettuce. This is one of the few genuinely useful native foraging plants that also makes an easy crop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho Grows Miner's Lettuce?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe shade gardener needing a real salad green for beds that get little sun.\u003cbr\u003eThe cold-climate grower wanting fresh greens through winter and spring.\u003cbr\u003eThe forager bringing a wild native plant into a cultivated bed.\u003cbr\u003eThe permaculture gardener who likes a self-seeding, low-effort patch.\u003cbr\u003eThe salad lover after something milder and juicier than standard lettuce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat This Shade-Loving Salad Green Actually Is\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eClaytonia perfoliata\u003c\/em\u003e, also called winter purslane or Indian lettuce, is native to western North America and naturalized in parts of Europe, where it is grown as a specialty salad crop. Its most recognizable feature is a round, cup-shaped leaf that the flower stalk pierces through the center, giving each mature leaf a disc shape with small white flowers rising from the middle. Plants form low, spreading rosettes 4 to 8 inches tall, succulent and tender throughout. The whole plant is edible, leaves, stems, and flowers, with a mild, tangy flavor and a texture closer to baby spinach than lettuce. It was historically eaten by California miners to prevent scurvy, given its high vitamin C content. Grown as a cool-season annual, thriving in cold and shade where most greens struggle; hardy well below freezing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the Kitchen \u0026amp; Garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRaw salad green:\u003c\/strong\u003e Toss whole young leaves with a light vinaigrette; pairs well with citrus and nuts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCooked green:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wilt briefly like spinach for a tender, mild side dish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForaged garnish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Use the pierced-leaf shape as an edible garnish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShade bed filler:\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant under trees or the north side of structures where little else thrives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWinter cold frame crop:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grow under cover through winter for continuous greens in cold climates.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSelf-seeding patch:\u003c\/strong\u003e Let a section go to seed for a returning crop with no replanting needed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing Miner's Lettuce Seeds\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStart method:\u003c\/strong\u003e Direct sow outdoors; transplants poorly due to a fine taproot.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTiming:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sow in early fall for a winter and spring crop, or early spring before heat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGermination:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sprouts in 7-14 days in cool soil.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil temperature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Best 50-65°F; struggles in summer heat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Broadcast or sow thinly, thinning to 4-6 inches.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSunlight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Partial to full shade; tolerates more shade than nearly any salad green.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist, rich soil preferred; tolerates a range of soil types.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatering:\u003c\/strong\u003e Consistent moisture; succulent leaves suffer in dry spells.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBolting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bolts quickly in heat; plan for cool-season growth only.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut young rosettes or pick individual leaves continuously.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSelf-seeding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reseeds readily once established, often returning unplanted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cold-hardy well below freezing; thrives through winter in mild climates.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore You Close This Page\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the plant that kept Gold Rush miners alive through scurvy season. Miner's Lettuce grows where nothing else will, thriving in shade and cold that stop most salad greens cold. Its round, flower-pierced leaves are as recognizable as they are edible, mild and succulent raw or cooked. It self-seeds readily, returning year after year with no effort. Sow it in fall or early spring, keep it moist and shaded, and harvest through the coldest months. This is a genuinely useful wild plant that earns a place in any shade garden.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"terramatergardens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54227865436478,"sku":"11568","price":3.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/8836\/7166\/files\/candles-5729.png?v=1788321429","url":"https:\/\/www.terramatergardens.com\/products\/miners-lettuce-organic-seeds","provider":"Terra Mater Gardens","version":"1.0","type":"link"}