Sorrels are really just small species of dock and there is no clear, botanical difference between them. Sorrels do tend to have their flowers less clustered or whorled and often carried singly along the branches of the flower spikes.
What does sorrel dock look like?
Sorrel grows as a rosette and the flowers are small, round and red/green/yellow. Large mature sorrel leaves can look a bit like young Lords & Ladies leaves. The sharply pointed “tails” (lobes) of sorrel leaves distinguish it from the rounded lobes of the Lords & Ladies leaves.
How do I identify a dock?
How to identify docks? Dock plants form rosettes of large oval green leaves with distinct midribs. Broadleaf dock leaves are flat, while curled dock has curly-edged leaves. Because of its traditional use on nettle stings, the dock leaf is generally well-recognised.
What do docks look like?
Docks grow as basal rosettes of foliage in early spring; they are often one of the first greens to emerge. By late spring or early summer, dock produces tall flower stalks that bear copious amounts of seed, which are also edible.
What sorrel looks like?
Identification: Sorrel has distinctive arrow-shaped leaves and small red and green flower stalks that appear from May to August. It is an upright plant that grows up to 60 cm in height and later in the season its leaves are sometimes tinged with red. Red flowers and latterly seeds are carried on tall slender spikes.
Is a dock leaf sorrel?
Dock is closely related to the delicious herb, sorrel (Rumex acetosa). Both have reddish stems, broad green leaves and spires of flowers/seeds which turn red as they mature. Sadly it lacks sorrel’s delicious tangy taste. Habit: A perennial with a deep taproot.
Are there different types of sorrel?
There are three major varieties to know: broad leaf, French, and red-veined sorrel. Broad leaf sorrel has slender, arrow-shaped leaves. French or Buckler leaf sorrel has small, bell-shaped leaves, while red-veined sorrel has a slender, tapered leaf with the namesake screaming red veins throughout.
What plants look like dock leaves?
Rumex obtusifolius, commonly known as bitter dock, broad-leaved dock, bluntleaf dock, dock leaf or butter dock, is a perennial plant in the family Polygonaceae.
Are dock and burdock the same thing?
Most people can recognise a dock leaf from childhood when they used it to rub on a nettle sting and burdock leaves tend to be relatively wide and are hairy. All of the leaves above are a slightly different colour and texture.
Are all dock seeds edible?
As a relative of buckwheat, dock seeds are edible as well! Some people say they’re not worth harvesting because so much processing is required to separate the seed from the chaff. However, you can just grind the seed and chaff all together as one. It’s just extra fiber and won’t hurt you.
How do I identify a yellow dock plant?
The distinct flower head of the plant that remains after the blooms have dried and turned brown is helpful for the identification of yellow dock. The flowers start out a much less distinctive light-greenish color (they can have a reddish tinge, too).
What is dock plant good for?
The root is used as medicine. Yellow dock is used for pain and swelling (inflammation) of nasal passages and the respiratory tract, and as a laxative and tonic. It is also used to treat bacterial infections and sexually transmitted diseases.
How do I know if I have a bitter dock?
Distinguishing Features
This plant is easily recognizable by its broad, oval leaves with cordate bases and rounded tips. Some of the lower leaves have red stems. The edges of the leaves are slightly wavy; and the upper surface is hairless.
What types of sorrel are edible?
Sorrel Plant Types
The two most popular varieties of sorrel for veggie gardeners are English (garden) sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and French sorrel (Rumex scutatus). Both have a citrusy taste that makes them excellent for cooking.
Is all sorrel edible?
In fact, every part o this flower, including the leaves, flowers, and seed pods, are edible. Sorrel is a common addition to salads, soups, and sauces and can be used to make tea.
Is sorrel poisonous?
Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves are edible when young but toughen with age; they may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salad. The plant has a distinct sharp, sour taste. It contains oxalic acid, which can be poisonous in high quantities.
What’s another name for sorrel?
Oxalis acetosella is also called common wood sorrel and sours because of its taste.
Why is my sorrel bitter?
Oxalic acid is responsible for giving red veined sorrel a bitter lemon flavor and in large quantities can cause mineral deficiencies, specifically calcium. Oxalic acid is minimized when cooked. It is suggested that people with pre-existing conditions avoid ingesting.
What can I use sorrel for?
Sorrel is the name for a variety of leafy greens that are often available at farmers’ markets, especially in the spring or summer. It can be used in salads, stir-fries, marinades, soups, and casseroles. It pairs well with fish, as well as cream, yogurt, and cheese.
Is dock an invasive plant?
Curly dock (Rumex crispus) is one of the many wild edible invasive plants we have in North America. It’s toxic to horses, cattle, and sheep, and the seeds are poisonous to poultry, so it’s not something you want in your pasture. And if you do have it, it’s not easy to get rid of.
How do I get rid of dock plants?
Dock seedlings can be killed by spraying with lawn weedkillers based on 2,4-D or MCPA (eg. Vitax LawnClear 2 or Weedol Lawn Weedkiller), but they become fairly resistant to these weedkillers once they have established a fleshy rootstock.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.