Sheep's Sorrel
Rumex acetosella
Also listed as Acetosella acetosella, Acetosa acetosella
Also known as Sheep Sorrel, Field Sorrel, Red Sorrel
Climate Match for your location
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Sheep's sorrel is a low-growing perennial with reddish-tinged leaves and small greenish-red flowers that appear in late spring through summer. It spreads readily in sunny locations and is often considered a weed in gardens and pastures.
Why grow it
Sheep's sorrel offers a hardy, low-maintenance groundcover option for sunny, well-drained sites where establishment is quick. Compared to other sorrel species, it tolerates poor and acidic soils that may limit alternatives, making it useful in marginal areas. The tart, lemony foliage is edible and has a longer season than many culinary herbs, though yields are modest relative to cultivated varieties.
Watch out for
This plant self-seeds prolifically in disturbed or bare soil, so containment may require regular deadheading or mulching to prevent unwanted spread within a managed bed. In moist conditions, populations can become dense and may outcompete slower-establishing neighbors.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Polygonaceae
Native Range
European and Western Asian native
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Sheep's sorrel is a low-growing perennial with reddish-tinged leaves and small greenish-red flowers that appear in late spring through summer. It spreads readily in sunny locations and is often considered a weed in gardens and pastures.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Sheep's Sorrel grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Sheep's sorrel offers a hardy, low-maintenance groundcover option for sunny, well-drained sites where establishment is quick. Compared to other sorrel species, it tolerates poor and acidic soils that may limit alternatives, making it useful in marginal areas. The tart, lemony foliage is edible and has a longer season than many culinary herbs, though yields are modest relative to cultivated varieties.
Watch out for
This plant self-seeds prolifically in disturbed or bare soil, so containment may require regular deadheading or mulching to prevent unwanted spread within a managed bed. In moist conditions, populations can become dense and may outcompete slower-establishing neighbors.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Polygonaceae
Native Range
European and Western Asian native
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
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