Gardening Flowers Perennials Sorrel By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 31, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Sorrel Overview Description Sorrel begins growth in early spring, providing salad greens when few other edibles are available. The plant thrives in full sun or partial shade, and it prefers moist soil. Some types can be grown in shallow water. Sorrel develops a mound of foliage that grows 12-18 inches tall, and it sends up a flower stalk with green flowers that mature to reddish-brown seeds. Remove seed stalks to prevent the plant from self-sowing. Genus Name Rumex spp. Common Name Sorrel Plant Type Herb, Perennial, Water Plant Light Part Sun, Sun Height 6 to 6 inches Width 12 to 24 inches Flower Color Green Season Features Summer Bloom Special Features Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Propagation Division, Seed More varieties for sorrel Bloody dock Rumex sanguineus is also known as red-vein dock because it has deep green leaves with contrasting deep red to maroon veins. This species is grown more for its ornamental value than for culinary purposes. While perfectly at home in the perennial border, it also can be grown in shallow water in the water garden. Zones 5-8 French sorrel Rumex scutatus is a low-acid species well suited to the vegetable and herb garden. It is also sometimes called buckler sorrel or shield-leaf sorrel, a reference to its shield-shape green leaves. The young leaves impart a tangy flavor with hints of lemon. Old leaves may become bitter. French sorrel grows 1 foot tall and wide. Zones 4-9 Plant sorrel with Boost your backyard gardens with these ideas More Videos » Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit