Sirhowy Hill Woodlands

Scientific name: Rumex acetosa

Common Sorrel

Common Sorrel is a common, upright plant, often found in grasslands and along woodland edges and roadside verges. It has slender leaves and attractive flowers that appear in May and June, peppering the green grasses of our meadows with crimson and pink. Its numerous other common names, from ‘Sour Ducks’ to ‘Vinegar Plant’, all allude to the fact that its leaves taste extremely tart and dry due to their high levels of oxalic acid.

"Rumex acetosa 81031020” by Юлия Медведько, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0.

How to identify?

Common Sorrel is a perennial with arrow-shaped leaves that grow from the stem at the base of the plant. Reddish flowers are carried on slender spikes.

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Scientific Name

Rumex acetosa

Other Wildlife