garden sorrel
Rumex acetosa L.
Garden sorrel sends upright flowering stems from a short underground rootstock, often reaching roughly a meter. The foliage has long been used as a sour-tasting culinary leaf. Its acidity comes with substantial oxalic acid content, so the plant’s history as a food does not make every preparation or quantity suitable for everyone. Kew Plants of the World Online: Rumex acetosa
Botanical name
Rumex acetosa L. is accepted in Polygonaceae. It is distinct from the smaller sheep’s sorrel, Rumex acetosella. Kew Plants of the World Online: Rumex acetosaFlora of North America: Rumex acetosa
Recognizing the plant
The leaves are elongated, with two pointed lobes at the base directed backward along the leaf stalk. Their margins are generally smooth. Small pinkish flowers stand in loose, narrow clusters toward the top of the stem. Each flower has six rounded tepals rather than a clear separation into petals and sepals. The inner three enlarge around the developing fruit. Mature fruits are small, glossy, dark and three-sided. Kew Plants of the World Online: Rumex acetosaFlora of North America: Rumex acetosa
Bloom window
North America
Flora of North America records flowering from spring into early summer in its introduced range. Flora of North America: Rumex acetosa
Native range
The species is native across temperate Eurasia and northwestern Africa. British habitats include grassland, coastal dunes and cliffs. Introduced North American populations occupy meadows, cultivated fields, disturbed ground and alluvial sites. Kew Plants of the World Online: Rumex acetosaFlora of North America: Rumex acetosa
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.