Miner's Lettuce
Claytonia perfoliata
Also listed as Limnia perfoliata, Montia perfoliata
Also known as Winter Purslane, Springbeauty
Climate Match for your location
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A tender annual leafy green with distinctive round leaves perforated at the center, grown as a cool-season salad crop. Produces delicate white flowers and self-seeds readily in mild climates.
Why grow it
Miner's lettuce offers a tender, mild-flavored salad green that tolerates partial shade better than most leafy crops, making it useful for interplanting or filling gaps under taller plants. Its distinctive round leaves with central perforations provide visual interest and texture variety compared to conventional lettuce or spinach. The plant matures quickly (30-40 days) and produces edible flowers, extending its utility in the garden beyond typical salad greens.
Watch out for
This cool-season annual bolts quickly in warm weather and long days, so timing plantings for fall and winter growth is essential in most climates. The delicate foliage wilts rapidly after harvest and does not store well, so plan to use it fresh within a day or two of picking.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Montiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
California native
Native to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
The species Claytonia perfoliata is widely cultivated; no named cultivars are commonly distinguished in the trade, though seed strains vary in vigor and leaf size.
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
A tender annual leafy green with distinctive round leaves perforated at the center, grown as a cool-season salad crop. Produces delicate white flowers and self-seeds readily in mild climates.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Miner's Lettuce grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Miner's lettuce offers a tender, mild-flavored salad green that tolerates partial shade better than most leafy crops, making it useful for interplanting or filling gaps under taller plants. Its distinctive round leaves with central perforations provide visual interest and texture variety compared to conventional lettuce or spinach. The plant matures quickly (30-40 days) and produces edible flowers, extending its utility in the garden beyond typical salad greens.
Watch out for
This cool-season annual bolts quickly in warm weather and long days, so timing plantings for fall and winter growth is essential in most climates. The delicate foliage wilts rapidly after harvest and does not store well, so plan to use it fresh within a day or two of picking.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Montiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
California native
Native to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
Enter your ZIP code to see top native species and strong climate fits for you.
Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
The species Claytonia perfoliata is widely cultivated; no named cultivars are commonly distinguished in the trade, though seed strains vary in vigor and leaf size.