Common Sorrel is Making a Comeback in Gardens

I was ordering another pack of Papalo seeds from Johnny’s, when I noticed they had sorrel seeds on clearance sale.  Esteemed by Culpepper, sorrel has many species, several of which are considered invasive weeds.  Since quite a few of my favorite salad greens have at one time or another been regarded as noxious weeds, I sprang at the chance to try this one, which the vendor describes as having “lemony” flavored leaves.  Others have said the young leaves taste like rhubarb, kiwi or even wild strawberry.

Since there are more kinds of sorrel than you can shake a stick at,  doing a search online is as likely to bring up as many methods for eradicating them as for growing them, but after a bit of research, I decided to try Rumex acetosa or Common Sorrel first.  Red-veined sorrel (rumex sanguineas) was also available and is said to have the same flavor. The invasive sorrels include Curly Dock (Rumex crispus, also known as Sour Dock and Yellow Dock) and Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella).

What makes the leaves taste sour is oxalic acid, the same  enigmatic substance found in spinach, parsley, black pepper,  beets, amaranth,  chocolate, many nuts, seeds, and berries, and even the tea plant (Camellia sinensis).

Becoming increasingly popular as a microgreen for salads, sorrel is not recommended for consumption by people with rheumatism or kidney stones because the oxalic acid binds with calcium to create calcium oxalate crystals.  However those not troubled by such conditions can enjoy it in a variety of ways:  pickled, as a salad green, or even pureed in soup.  It is often used as a condiment for fish dishes, as well.

When my seedlings get big enough I will propagate my sorrel by taking leaf cuttings, thus being able to keep a ready supply of the tender young leaves which will have the most delicate flavor.  Since I grow my herbs and salad greens hydroponically, transplanting the young clones will require nothing more than moving them from one pot of liquid nutrient solution to another.   Like most of the other plants I like to grow, sorrel prefers a slightly acid pH.