Texture

Claytonia perfoliata is a fleshy annual plant native to the western mountain and coastal regions of the Pacific United States. The common name “Miner’s Lettuce” refers its use by California gold rush miners who ate it to get their vitamin C to prevent scurvy.

It is very common in the spring, and prefers cool, damp conditions. It first appears in sunlit areas after heavy rains. The best stands are found in shaded areas under trees, especially in the uplands. As the days get hotter in June, the leaves turn a deep red color as they dry out.

It can be eaten as a leaf vegetable. Most commonly it is eaten raw in salads, but it is not quite as delicate as other lettuces. It is often boiled like spinach, which it resembles in taste and texture.

Rumors mention that California original Americans used to place it by red ant hills to pick up formic acid as a “dressing”. Claytonia perfoliata has none of the peppery kick of Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus, also in the Purslane family, which is how this custom may have originated.