Sorrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sorrel |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): |
Core eudicots
|
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Rumex
|
| Species: |
R. acetosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Rumex acetosa |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Rumex stenophyllus Ledeb. |
|
Common sorrel or garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), often simply called sorrel, is a perennial herb that is cultivated as a garden herb or leaf vegetable (pot herb). Sorrel is also know by the names spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock.
Contents
Growth
Sorrel is a slender plant. It is about 60 centimetres (cm) high, and it has roots that go far into the ground. Sorrel also has juicy stems and oblong leaves that can be eaten.
Characteristics
It has whorled spikes of reddish-green flowers, which bloom in summer, becoming purplish. The stamens and pistils are on different plants (dioecious); the ripe seeds are brown and shining.
Uses
.jpg)
Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salads and shav; they have a flavour that is similar to kiwifruit or sour wild strawberries. The plant's sharp taste is due to oxalic acid, which is a poison. In small quantities sorrel is harmless; in large quantities it can be fatal.
See also
In Spanish: Rumex acetosa para niños
