Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. It is also called common sorrel, garden sorrel, spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ("dock" often used for the genus). with roots that run deep into the ground, as well as juicy stems and arrow-shaped (sagittate) leaves which grow from a rosette. The species is dioecious, with stamens and pistils on different plants. It can grow in poor soil.
Uses
thumb|[[Sorrel soup with egg and croutons, part of Polish cuisine]]
Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves are edible when young but toughen with age; they may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salad. French cuisine traditionally cooks fish with sorrel because its acidity dissolves thin fish bones.
In the Caribbean, the term "sorrel" refers to a type of sweet hibiscus tea commonly made from the African roselle flower, unrelated to the Eurasian sorrel herb.
See also
- Wood sorrel (Oxalis), an unrelated genus