One of the lesser-known types of winter vegetables is the Postelein, also known by names such as Winter Postelein or Winter Purslane. With us you will learn how to cultivate, harvest and use the common plate herb.
Especially in the cold winter months, the joy of fresh vegetables from your own garden is greatest. The Postelein (Claytonia), also known as plate herb, can be used as a crunchy salad or as a cooked vegetable. In addition to the widespread common crustacean (Claytonia perfoliata), seeds of the Siberian crustacean (Claytonia sibirica) are also commercially available, both plants can be cultivated equally and use. We will explain everything you need to know about growing and caring for winter vegetables.
Postelein: origin, taste and characteristics
If you're looking for fresh winter vegetables, it's easy to come across the Postelein (Claytonia perfoliata), which is originally from the mountainous and coastal regions of North America's west coast, but has been around for many years years immigrated to us as a neophyte. Depending on the region, the annual, herbaceous plant can also be found under the names winter postelein, winter purslane, Cuban spinach or as common plate herb. The Postelein belongs to the genus of plate herbs (Claytonia) and is therefore part of the spring herb family (Monitaceae).
The hardy Postelein grows only about 30 cm high and forms fleshy leaves starting from a basal leaf rosette. Due to its slightly succulent leaves, the Postelein is able to survive short periods of drought unscathed. The lower, older leaves are long-stalked, while the younger leaves grow together in pairs and enclose the stem. This is how they become the distinguishing feature and unique selling point of the Postelein. At the same time, the fused leaves seem like a plate growing on the stem below the inflorescence. They gave the Postelein its trivial name "Tellerkraut". Between February and May, sometimes into June, the Postelein flowers with white or slightly pink flowersClusters of flowers from 5 to 40 individual flowers. The flowers pollinate themselves and form small seeds, which the Postelein uses to spread and sprout the following year.
The taste of raw Postelein is reminiscent of lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta), although its aroma is less intense. When the leaves are cooked, they are comparable to the taste of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) - an enrichment for the fresh, domestic kitchen in winter.
What is the difference between Postelein and Purslane? Because of the similar-sounding name, the postelein can be compared to the purslane (Portulaca oleracea) of the genus Purslane (Portulaca) from the family of Purslane family (Portulaceae) are confused. Purslane is also called summer purslane. However, the plants are clearly different from a purely visual point of view: Purslane does not form a rosette of leaves and flowers yellow, while Postelein has a unique selling point in the plant world due to the plate-shaped leaves on the stems. The uses of both plants are similar: Both can be used as winter vegetables and salads and were used in medicine in the past.
Postelein cultivation: sowing, location and more
The cultivation of the Postelein usually succeeds without any problems, as it is a fairly undemanding plant. A semi-shady location that is at least moderately warm is best. The Postelein naturally grows on nutrient-rich, sandy soil with a good supply of water and little s alt. He just doesn't take it well. Cultivation is also possible on the balcony or in a bucket, as the Postelein's root system is very shallow. A humus-rich, loose soil that can store water well but does not tend to clog is suitable as a plant substrate both in the bed and in the bucket. Some compost or potting soil can be added to the soil before sowing to provide the plant with nutrients throughout the vegetation period. An excellent basis, for example, is our Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil, which has a slowly released nutrient content due to its high compost content. Thanks to the coconut pulp it contains, the organic soil is able to store water in the long term and provide it to the plantTo make available. In addition, our tomato and vegetable soil is made entirely without the use of peat, which reduces CO2 emissions and protects the environment.
As the Postelein needs a cold stimulus to germinate, the best time for sowing is between September and March, as long as the temperatures are below 12 °C. The ideal germination temperature is 8 to 12 °C. Sowing can be done in about 1 cm deep channels, whereby the seeds can be sown quite densely with a distance of about 5 cm. A row spacing of 10 to 15 cm is completely sufficient for the Postelein. Depending on the weather, the first Postelein seeds germinate after two to three weeks.
Important care measures for winter purslane
The winter purslane is one of the weak-eating plants and requires only a few nutrients for its growth, which makes additional fertilization unnecessary. Especially if some compost or potting soil was mixed in before sowing, the winter purslane can develop he althily and vigorously. Winter purslane is sensitive to drought because of its shallow root system, which is why a constant supply of water and regular watering are very important. If you want to prevent uncontrolled propagation of winter purslane, you should cut off the flowers regularly before the seeds ripen.
Harvest and Storage of Winter Posteleins
The first leaves are already ripe and can be harvested six to eight weeks after sowing. It is important to cut the leaves higher than 2 cm above the ground with a sharp knife. This protects the plant and at the same time stimulates the formation of new leaves, which makes multiple harvests possible. The harvest time of Winterpostelein is between October and April and depends on the time of sowing.
The Winter Postelein is best eaten fresh, as it cannot be stored for long. The cut leaves can be placed loosely in a bowl and covered with a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator for about six to eight days.
Postelein: ingredients and use
You can eat Postelein raw and cooked. The plant can be used almost completely: the young leaves, stems and flowers taste best raw, while the roots and older leaves are very tasty when cooked, as they arehave a slightly bitter taste when raw. Postelein salad is particularly popular.
In addition to a high vitamin C content, Postelein contains a lot of magnesium, potassium and iron, which makes it extremely he althy. In contrast to other lettuce plants, Postelein has no problems with high nitrate intake. Postelein was already used as a food and medicinal plant by the Indians and other indigenous peoples. It was used as a poultice for rheumatism and eye pain, or the juice as a remedy for loss of appetite.
Would you like to have more vegetables from your own garden next winter? Then read our article about growing and caring for oat root.