
Rumex acetosella
Sheeps Sorrel
Sorrel is cultivated as a garden herb or salad vegetable. It is a perennial herb which grows to about 60cm high, with edible stems and arrow-shaped leaves. Sheep’s sorrel is a native perennial, which looks a little like Common sorrel but is smaller (to 20cm) and more slender and the lobes of its arrow shaped leaves spread sideways and not backwards. It is an important food plant for the caterpillars of the small copper butterfly.
Contributed by @Davidward
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Full sun to partial shade
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Very little water
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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All soil conditions
Common name
Sheeps Sorrel
Latin name
Rumex acetosella
type
Perennial Herb
family
Polygonaceae
ph
6.0 - 7.5 Acid - Neutral
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
Rumex acetosella
Sorrel is cultivated as a garden herb or salad vegetable. It is a perennial herb which grows to about 60cm high, with edible stems and arrow-shaped leaves. Sheep’s sorrel is a native perennial, which looks a little like Common sorrel but is smaller (to 20cm) and more slender and the lobes of its arrow shaped leaves spread sideways and not backwards. It is an important food plant for the caterpillars of the small copper butterfly.
Planting
From Early Spring TO Late Spring
Plant out in any garden soil, in sun or partial shade, water in well and keep moist until established. It can be planted in large containers for ease of harvesting the leaves later. Use multi-purpose compost and keep well watered.