Herb
Miner's Lettuce
B tier
Miner’s lettuce is the common name for Claytonia perfoliata—mild, succulent winter salad green with distinctive cupped round leaves. Not true purslane but sold under related mild-green categories. Use in cool-season salads where Portulaca is out of season. Delicate; dress lightly.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Light DressingSaladWinter Market
Traits
Common Name ClaytoniaDelicateDistinct From PortulacaMildSeasonalWinter
History
US
California Gold Rush popularised the miner’s lettuce name for claytonia.
US
Wild harvest and later gardens kept miner’s lettuce in western foodways.
Farmers’ markets sold cultivated miner’s lettuce in winter.
Miner’s lettuce remained a specialty cool-season salad green.