Sorrel
Rumex acetosa
Also called Common sorrel and Sour dock
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitSharp as lemon and back every spring without asking. Cut the flower stalk out or the leaves go tough.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 4 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 0.75 m tall · 0.5 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Europe and Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: kidney failure (rare in dogs and cats), tremors and drooling.
PeopleHarmful if eaten
Safe to eat: young leaves, in moderation.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Holes eaten from the margins inward on the soft young spring leaves, with slime on the underside where they shelter by day.Slugs and snails · pest
- A rusty-red flower spike rising from the centre of the clump in early summer — the leaves turn tough and bitter from the moment it shows.Running to flower · disorder
- Green specks clustered along the flower stem and the stalks of the newest leaves, and a sticky shine on the leaves below.Aphid · pest