Sorrels are really just small species of dock and there is no clear, botanical difference between them.
What is the common name of curly dock?
Curly dock (Rumex crispus, also called yellow dock) is one of those plants that is easily overlooked. It doesn’t have a showy flower and the leaves can look kind of generic. Furthermore, it’s not typically as prolific of a weed as dandelion— at least not in urban areas.
Is sheep sorrel the same as yellow dock?
Sheep sorrel leaves have a tangy, lemon flavor and are sometimes used in salad, though high tannin and oxalic acid content limit its use in large quantities. This is a cousin to yellow dock, R. crispus, another naturalized European plant in North America.
What does sorrel dock look like?
At a glance, the sorrels have noticably arrow-shaped leaves. Their leaves are smaller and more narrow than most other docks found here. Common sorrel has downward-pointing basal lobes that always taper to a point.
Is bitter dock the same as curly dock?
Curly dock leaves are all in a basal rosette, while bitter dock produces leaves on the stalk as well; the point where the leaf comes away from the stalk has a distinctive sheath (“ocrea”) around the stalk, which is characteristic of plants in this family.
What is curly dock herb used for?
The plant has been used since around 500 B.C. for medicinal reasons, most of which are based on the plants roots. A poultice from the roots has been used for iron-deficiency anemia, blood purifying and liver decongestant, and it remedies constipation and syphilis.
What’s the difference between yellow dock and curly dock?
The first is the look of the plant’s lower leaves. Bitter dock — also called broad-leaved dock — has leaves which are fairly “flat” across the surface. Curly dock — also called curled dock — has leaves with lots of “ruffles” across the leaf and along the edges.
What is the difference between dock and sorrel?
Sorrels are really just small species of dock and there is no clear, botanical difference between them. Sorrels do tend to have their flowers less clustered or whorled and often carried singly along the branches of the flower spikes.
Are dock leaves the same as sorrel?
Dock is closely related to the delicious herb, sorrel (Rumex acetosa). Both have reddish stems, broad green leaves and spires of flowers/seeds which turn red as they mature. Sadly it lacks sorrel’s delicious tangy taste. Habit: A perennial with a deep taproot.
Is Burdock the same as curly dock?
Fortunately, there is a European weed called curly dock, or dock plant, that is as pervasive as it is persistent. As soon as you catch a whiff of spring, you’ll start to see dock. Docks are in the rumex family, and are related to rhubarb and sorrel and oxalis. (Note that burdock is a different plant entirely.)
What is a good substitute for sorrel?
Given the tangy and acidic profile of sorrel, the best flavor substitute is lemon zest, which can add sharp acidity to a dish, or the similarly tart spice sumac.
Other ingredients that can be used as sorrel substitutes include:
- Arugula.
- Mustard greens.
- Rhubarb.
- Spinach with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Are there different types of sorrel?
There are three major varieties to know: broad leaf, French, and red-veined sorrel. Broad leaf sorrel has slender, arrow-shaped leaves. French or Buckler leaf sorrel has small, bell-shaped leaves, while red-veined sorrel has a slender, tapered leaf with the namesake screaming red veins throughout.
What can sorrel be confused with?
Bindweed can often be mistaken for Common Sorrel, as it grows in the same habitat with a similar leaf-shape. The easiest way to tell these two apart is that sorrel grows in a rosette and bindweed is a trailing plant.
Is curly dock invasive?
Curly dock (Rumex crispus) is one of the many wild edible invasive plants we have in North America. It’s toxic to horses, cattle, and sheep, and the seeds are poisonous to poultry, so it’s not something you want in your pasture. And if you do have it, it’s not easy to get rid of.
Is curly dock and yellow dock the same plant?
It is easy to tell the two apart: True to its name, the broadleaf type has bottom, or “basal” leaves that are very wide (4 inches across, versus 1 inch across for yellow dock plants). Curly dock has basal leaves shaped like swords, the basal leaves of its broadleaf dock are shaped more like shields.
Does yellow dock detox the liver?
Liver Health
Also high in antioxidants, Yellow Dock works to scavenge oxidative damage and stress caused by free radicals, including within liver tissue. Regular consumption of this herb will stimulate the detoxification process in liver and boost the production of bile.
What is dock plant good for?
The root is used as medicine. Yellow dock is used for pain and swelling (inflammation) of nasal passages and the respiratory tract, and as a laxative and tonic. It is also used to treat bacterial infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Some people use yellow dock as a toothpaste.
Is curly dock poisonous to dogs?
Dock is a type of plant in the buckwheat family that can potentially be fatal to your dog if he ingests it. If you believe your dog ingested a part of this plant, it needs to be treated as a medical emergency. Take your dog to a veterinarian immediately.
How do you make a curly dock?
Rosette of Curly Dock in spring. Wash thoroughly and use leaves raw in salads or in place of lettuce on a sandwich. Chop into hummus or sour cream dip for a ‘lemony’ flavor. Wash chop, and cook leaves in omelettes, stir fries, soups, stews, or in other dishes in place of spinach.
Is curly dock poisonous to goats?
Curly Dock can be poisonous to livestock including goats. If fresh forage is available they rarely eat enough to cause problems. However, if goats are in a dry lot situation and the Curly Dock is in hay – the goats may consume it along with the hay.
Is curly dock a perennial?
Curly dock, a perennial broadleaf plant, usually grows in wet areas and is frequently associated with overwatering or standing water in low areas. It is found throughout California up to an elevation of 8200 feet (2500 m).