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Sun Exposure: Full Sun Sun to Partial Shade Light Shade
Danger: All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer Mid Summer Late Summer/Early Fall Mid Fall Late Fall/Early Winter
Foliage: Herbaceous
Other details: May be a noxious weed or invasive Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse Direct sow as soon as the ground can be worked From seed; sow indoors before last frost From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting: Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
On Nov 11, 2009, encartaphile from Marshfield, MO wrote:
On a positive note about this plant, it is one of the four ingredients in the Ojibwa tea of life, used as an immune system tonic and potentially a cure for cancer. PlantFiles has it listed that all parts of the plant are poisonous, but so far the only reference to anyone being poisoned by this plant that I have found were some sheep in New Zealand. Apparently, in rare instances a high concentration of nitrates can accumulate in the plant and cause poisoning. Also, a large quantity of oxalates (such as those consumed by sheep on a sorrel binge) can cause calcium deficiency, renal failure and nervous disorders. So as long as you're not a sheep presented with a whole field of sorrel, it doesn't sound like a few cups of Native American tea would do you any real harm.
(http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=245&p_type=all...)
On Apr 27, 2006, MotherNature4 from Bartow, FL (Zone 9a) wrote:
I would not want this in my yard, but it grows in fields around here. I used to gather the blooms & leaves, boil them, then use the strained liquid to make a delicious and beautiful jelly.
On Apr 26, 2006, berrygirl from Braselton, GA (Zone 7b) wrote:
Is there a rating worse than negative? This weed has been a nightmare for me for about 3 years now. It has overtaken several flower beds and a good portion of grass. We have pulled and dug so many times and probably put down a million pages of newspaper trying to keep it from coming back. The runner roots go for miles!
A perennial from Europe and can be found in almost all temperate regions across the world.
Has arrow shaped, light-mid green, leaves which often turn red in Autumn. Bears spikes of reddish, tiny flowers.
Flowers May-August.
Loves acid soil and may tolerate neutral soil, well drained and poorish soil are preferred. Likes grassland and loves lawns, where it will march rapidly gaining large portions of territory if not kept in check.
The leaves are used in cooking and leaves can be chewed to quench thirst, it contains quite a few minerals the main one being selenium. It has a bitter taste so don't be too free with its useage. It is used in soups and salads mainly and is more palatable than common sorrel.
It has also been used as a diuretic and as a treatment for kidney diseases.
John Evelyn (1700's herbalist) reckoned it 'It renders not plants and herbs only, but men themselves more pleasent and agreeable'.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Bartow, Florida Braselton, Georgia Cumberland, Maryland Salem, Oregon Millersburg, Pennsylvania Aiken, South Carolina Conway, South Carolina Moneta, Virginia
6 members have or want this plant for trade.
