# winged dock (*Rumex venosus*)

Winged dock is a leafy plant with unique, wing-like structures on its stems. It grows in wet areas and can be found near rivers and ponds, making it a special part of its habitat.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![winged dock](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rumex_venosus_%285048813723%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rumex_venosus_%285048813723%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The winged dock is a striking plant known for its reddish, papery, heart-shaped 'wings' surrounding its seeds, which mature from green. It has lance-shaped to oblong green leaves, often wavy, and reddish stems. These unique seed structures make it visually distinct from other dock species.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Polygonaceae
- **Genus:** Rumex

## Interesting facts

- It helps stabilize sandy soils with its strong, spreading root system!
- Its 'wings' are not petals, but special parts that protect its seeds!
- Winged dock leaves were once used as a potherb by Native Americans!
- You can spot its unique reddish seed clusters glowing in the afternoon sun!

## Special abilities

- **Wind-Riding Seeds:** Winged dock has large, papery seed coverings that help its seeds catch the wind to travel far and wide.
- **Sand Survivor:** Winged dock can grow deep roots and spread underground, helping it anchor and thrive in loose, sandy soils.
- **Drought Defender:** This plant has adaptations allowing it to survive and flourish in very dry, open habitats with little water.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-60 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Green Dock Beetle (*Gastrophysa viridula*) — The beetle larvae feed on its leaves.
- **Parasitizes:** Dock Gall Midge (*Rhopalomyia rumicis*) — Its larvae create galls on the plant.
- **Eats:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Carduelis tristis*) — The goldfinch eats the plant's seeds.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless a grown-up says it's okay.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify winged dock?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is winged dock?

15-60 cm

### How wide does winged dock spread?

30-60 cm

### When does winged dock bloom?

Late spring to summer

### Is winged dock edible?

Yes

### Is winged dock toxic?

Mild

### What is winged dock's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is winged dock pollinated?

Wind

## Where to spot

- [Dundy County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundy-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site
- [Hooker County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hooker-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Winged Dock: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/winged-dock)