Rumex sanguineus

The Wood Dock (Rumex sanguineus) is a variety of Sorrel that stands out for its light green foliage veined with red. When raw, it adds a tangy note to mixed salads, but it can also be cooked to flavour sauces and fish. It is an ideal perennial vegetable plant for permaculture.

A perennial vegetable plant native to Europe and Asia, Wood Dock belongs to the Polygonaceae family and naturally thrives in damp, rather heavy, and acidic soil. It is a plant with aromatic leaves, rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, which can be prepared and cooked like spinach. When cooked, it adds a subtle tangy touch. Its young and tender leaves can be consumed raw in salads.

Very hardy, Wood Dock can be grown in open ground or in pots and will remain in place for several years. That's why it is so widely used in permaculture.

Harvesting: Pick as needed, either in the juvenile or mature stage, from spring until frosts. Harvest leaf by leaf, by hand or with a knife. If you want to extend the harvest into winter, protect the plants with tunnels or frames.

Storage: Sorrel leaves should be consumed immediately after harvest as they do not keep well. However, they freeze very well after cooking.

Gardener's tip: To limit watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, preferably mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which helps keep the soil moist, also reduces weed growth.