Rumex longifolius

DC.

Door-yard Dock

PolygonaceaeLeavesSeeds/NutsPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Seeds

Leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, particularly valued for their antiscorbutic properties; they are best harvested as they first emerge from the ground. Seed is ground into a powder and used in gruel or added to cereal flours for making bread and similar foods.

Known Hazards

Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. In Argentina it grows below 400 m above sea level.

Albania, Argentina, Asia, Balkans, Britain, Chile, China, Europe, Falklands, Finland, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Mediterranean, North America, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, South America, Turkey, Türkiye,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, Albania, Armenia, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Brunei, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Bhutan, Belarus, Belize, Canada, Switzerland, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Algeria, Ecuador, Estonia, Egypt, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Grenada, Georgia, French Guiana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Croatia, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, St Kitts & Nevis, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, St Lucia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Malta, Maldives, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Suriname, El Salvador, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, St Vincent, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A perennial reaching 1.2 m with hermaphroditic, wind-pollinated flowers appearing June to July. Grows in light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Tolerates mildly acidic to basic soil pH. Establishes in semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

How to Grow

Succeeds in most soils but prefers a deep fertile moderately heavy soil that is humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained and a position in full-sun or part shade.

Propagation: Sow seed in spring in situ. Can also be propagated by division in spring.

Medicinal Uses

The whole plant, and especially the root, is alterative, astringent, cholagogue, deobstruent, stomachic, and tonic.

Other Uses

No dye data specific to this species has been recorded, but roots of many plants in this genus yield dark green to brown and dark grey dyes without the need for a mordant.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Rumex longifolius, commonly known as the dooryard dock or northern dock, is a perennial species of plant in the genus Rumex. A variety has been described: Rumex longifolius var. nanus

Notes

There are about 200 Rumex species.

Names & Synonyms

Hoymole

Rumex aquaticus. non L. Rumex domesticus.

References (11)

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