Common Name: Sorrel

General Information

Rumex acetosa is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing a cluster of basal leaves and one to several erect stems 40 - 100cm tall[].
Sorrel is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is occasionally cultivated for its edible leaves, there are some named forms.

Known Hazards

Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Temperate Eurasia - Iceland and the Atlantic coast of Europe, east to Siberia, Russian Far East, Japan, Korea and China; N. Africa - Morocco

Habitat

Meadows, by streams and in open places in woodland[, ]. Often found as a weed of acid soils[]. Mountain slopes, forest margins, moist valleys; at elevations from 400 - 4,100 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Rumex acetosa is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -35°c when fully dormant[].
A very easily grown and tolerant plant, it succeeds in most soils[], preferring a moist moderately fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[]. Shade tolerant[]. Established plants are tolerant of considerable neglect, surviving even in dense weed growth[].
Sorrel has been used since ancient times as a food and medicinal plant[]. It is still occasionally cultivated for its edible leaves, there are some named varieties[].
The plant stops producing leaves when it flowers in the summer, regrowing after the seed has set. Plants also usually die down in the winter.
Cutting down the flowering stem will encourage the growth of fresh young leaves[].
The cultivar 'Blonde de Lyon' has large, only slightly acid leaves and is much less likely to flower than the type[]. This means that the leaves of this cultivar are often available all through the summer and are often also produced throughout the winter, especially if the winter is mild[, ].
A food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterfly, it is a good plant to grow in the spring meadow[].
Being wind -pollinated, Rumex species usually hybridize readily, especially with other members of the genus they are more closely related to[]..
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, , , , , ]. They make a thirst-quenching snack on their own, or can be added to salads, used as a potherb or pureed and used in soups[]. A delicious lemon-like flavour, liked by most people who try them, they can be rather overpowering in quantity and are more generally used as a flavouring in mixed salads[]. The leaves can also be dried for later use[]. The leaves can be available all through the winter, especially in mild weather or if a little protection is given to the plants[].
The leaves should be used sparingly in the diet[, ], see the notes on toxicity above.

Flowers - cooked as a vegetable or used as a garnish[].

Root - cooked. It is dried, ground into a powder and made into noodles[].

Seed - raw or cooked[]. Ground into a powder and mixed with other flours to make bread[]. The seed is easy to harvest, but is rather small and fiddly to use[].

The juice of the leaves can be used as a curdling agent for milks[, ].

Medicinal

The fresh or dried leaves are astringent, diuretic, laxative and refrigerant[, , , , ]. They are used to make a cooling drink in the treatment of fevers and are especially useful in the treatment of scurvy[].
The leaf juice, mixed with fumitory, has been applied topically as a treatment for itchy skin and ringworm[].

A paste of the root is applied to set dislocated bones[].
An infusion of the root is astringent, diuretic and haemostatic[, , , , ]. It has been used in the treatment of jaundice, gravel and kidney stones[].

Both the roots and the seeds have been used to stem haemorrhages[].

The plant is depurative and stomachic[, , , ].

A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[]. It is used in the treatment of spasms and skin ailments[].

Other Uses

Dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots, they do not need a mordant[].
A grey-blue dye is obtained from the leaves and stems[].

An infusion of the stems is used as a polish for bamboo and wicker furniture and also for silver[, ].

The juice of the plant removes stains from linen[] and also ink stains (but not ball-point ink) from white material[, ]. It is sometimes sold as 'essential salt of lemon'[].

An extract of the leaves is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an emollient, hair and skin conditioner[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ. Leaves can be harvested within 8 weeks from sowing.
Division in spring. Division is very simple at almost any time of the year, though the plants establish more rapidly in the spring. Use a sharp spade or knife to divide the rootstock, ensuring that there is at least one growth bud on each section of root. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.