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Rumex acetosa

Common Sorrel · Garden Sorrel · Garden Dock

Family PolygonaceaeGenus Rumex

Slender stems carrying loose spikes of small green flowers flushed pink, standing in grass at the edge of still water.
The whole plantAnRo0002CC0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Reddish-greenWikipedia
Native range
Afghanistan, Albania, Altay, Amur, Austria, Baleares and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • A common wild plant of Eurasian grassland, eaten as a leaf vegetable or herb. The garden sorrel sold by suppliers is usually a cultigen, Rumex rugosus. Wikipedia: Sorrel

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 22, 2024.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1095 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 3 years from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

100% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Rumex p. 59Public domain
Show the original text
Rumex (Polygonaceae). Germinations for the first six were about the same for seeds DS 3 y as for fresh seeds (seelst Suppi. for data on fresh seeds). R. acetosa DS 3 y germ. 70D(90% in 2nd w) and 70L(100% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Rumex p. 59. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 22, 2024.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1095 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 years from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

90% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Rumex p. 59Public domain
Show the original text
Rumex (Polygonaceae). Germinations for the first six were about the same for seeds DS 3 y as for fresh seeds (seelst Suppi. for data on fresh seeds). R. acetosa DS 3 y germ. 70D(90% in 2nd w) and 70L(100% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Rumex p. 59. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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