ExplorePlants

Common Sorrel

Rumex acetosa

Common Sorrel is a leafy plant with a tangy taste. It grows in gardens and fields and is often used in salads. Its bright green leaves are shaped like arrows!

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Common Sorrel has distinctive long, green, arrow-shaped leaves that form a basal rosette. Its slender, often reddish stems bear airy spikes of tiny, reddish-green flowers. This plant stands out with its upright stature and unique leaf form.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderCaryophyllalesFamilyPolygonaceaeGenusRumex
Common Sorrel
flowering trait badgebiennial trait badgefragrant_flower trait badgeagricultural trait badge
Common Sorrel

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Eating too much raw sorrel can make your teeth feel fuzzy, like spinach!

In some places, its leaves were traditionally used to curdle milk for making cheese!

Its name 'Sorrel' comes from an old French word meaning 'sour,' describing its taste!

Vikings might have carried sorrel seeds for its tangy leaves on long voyages!

Special abilities

Ability

Sour Power Defense

Common Sorrel has oxalic acid in its leaves that gives it a tangy taste, helping deter many hungry herbivores.

Ability

Root Resilience

It has a deep taproot that helps it find water and nutrients deep underground, allowing it to survive dry periods.

Ability

Speedy Sprouter

Common Sorrel can grow quickly in spring, getting a head start over other plants for sunlight and space.

Measurements & details

Height
30-100 cm
Spread
20-40 cm
Flower Size
0.2-0.3 cm
Bloom Season
Late_spring_to_summer
Edible
Yes
Toxicity
Mild
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Wind

Ecological connections

eats

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Leaves are a food source.

eats

Brown Argus butterfly

Aricia agestis

Larvae feed on leaves.

pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

Visits flowers for pollen.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before tasting wild plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is Common Sorrel?

30-100 cm

How wide does Common Sorrel spread?

20-40 cm

How big are the flowers on Common Sorrel?

0.2-0.3 cm

When does Common Sorrel bloom?

Late_spring_to_summer

Is Common Sorrel edible?

Yes

Is Common Sorrel toxic?

Mild

What is Common Sorrel's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Common Sorrel pollinated?

Wind

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