Common Name: Red Dock

General Information

Rumex aquaticus is a herbaceous perennial plant with erect stems that are usually branched above; it can grow around 30 - 120cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

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

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Range

Most of Temperate Eurasia from France, Britain and Scandanavia to eastern Siberia, Mongolia, China and Korea

Habitat

Shallow water at the margins of swamps[]. Fields, meadows and ditches[]. Watersides in valleys, riverbanks; at elevations from 200 - 3,600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.80 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of shallow water[].
Being wind -pollinated, Rumex species usually hybridize readily, especially with other members of the genus they are more closely related to[]..

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[].

Medicinal

The root is alterative, astringent, cholagogue, deobstruent, depurative, detergent, laxative and mildly tonic[]. It can cause or relieve diarrhoea according to the dose, harvest time and relative concentrations of tannin(astringent) and anthraquinones (laxative) that are present[]. It is used internally in the treatment of piles, bleeding of the lungs, various blood complaints and also chronic skin diseases[, ]. The root has been used with positive effect to restrain the inroads made by cancer, being used as an alterative and tonic[]
Externally, the root is applied to various skin diseases, ulcers etc[].
The root is harvested in early spring and dried for later use[].
Some caution is advised in the use of this plant since excess doses can cause gastric disturbance, nausea and dermatitis[, ].

Other Uses

Dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots of many species in this genus, They do not need a mordant[].

The dried and powdered root has a cleansing and detergent affect on the teeth[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ.
Division in spring.