Description
Red sorrel, field sorrel sheep’s sorrel, and sour weed are all popular names for Rumex acetosella. The stems are erect, slender, reddish in colour, and branching at the top. Simple, smooth, and between one and three inches long, the arrow-shaped leaves have two horizontal lobes at the base. Lower leaves have no lobes and are spade-shaped. A basal rosette of oblong, arrow-shaped leaves makes up sheep’s sorrel. Green, crimson, or rust-colored flowers are grouped close to the top of the shrub.
Uses
The juicy, tangy leaves work well as a garnish and in salads, but they really shine when used as a herb and added by the handful to a meal.
Cultivation
Sheep sorrel grows in disturbed areas with loam or clay loam soil and favors full or partial sunlight, mesic to dry climates, acidic soil, and sandy soil. Because of its creeping rhizome roots, it is considered difficult to maintain or remove and is highly aggressive.
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