Rumex acetosella: sheep's sorrel

A Non-Native in the NYBG Native Plant Garden: Rumex acetosella

Guest post by Joel Nevis y Flores

On the dry ridge at the edge of the Manhattan schist outcrop near the Split Rick erratic is an invasive, noxious non-native, Rumex acetosella (sheep's sorrel, red sorrel, sour weed, field sorrel). Native Plant Garden Curator Michael Hagen tells us that it is a naturalized weed that blows in from the top of Wamsler Rock outside the native plant garden and seeds into all the cracks, especially among the Prickly Pear (Opuntia) which makes it a special challenge to remove.

Native to Eurasia, it sprouts from an aggressive and spreading rhizome and has a long blooming period (May to October). It is generally found on acid, sandy soils in heaths and grasslands, and is often one of the first species to take hold in disturbed areas. Despite containing large amounts of oxalates, the leaves are edible as a salad green, as a curdling agent for cheese and in sheep sorrel wine. The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service offers a write-up here.

Rumex acetosella (Sheep's sorrel)

Special thanks to Michael Hagen for identifying this non-native for us and sharing his information. 


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