Polygonacées • Rumex acetosa var. hortensis

Garden sorrel - Organic

"A tangy perennial that brightens up the vegetable garden and the kitchen, from the first to the last beautiful day."

$4.49

Number of seeds 100 seeds

Long present in the vegetable gardens of temperate Europe, garden sorrel ( Rumex acetosa ) has established itself as a companion herb for the first days of spring. Its clumps of tender green leaves, borne on lanceolate foliage, emerge as soon as the soil warms up a little, offering one of the first fresh greens in the living garden.

In a quiet corner of the vegetable garden or at the edge of a edible flower bed, it forms a dense and regular rosette that faithfully returns year after year. Its tangy flavor adds a lively note to simple everyday dishes and recalls an age-old practice: picking, as the seasons change, just the right amount of leaves for soup, sauce, or omelet.

A discreet yet constant companion, garden sorrel integrates easily into an environmentally friendly gardening approach. Its benevolent presence accompanies the cycle of the seasons: in spring, it outshines many vegetables, and in autumn, it continues to produce as long as the soil remains hospitable.

Growing climate: Cool season
Sowing difficulty level: Easy
Care required: Occasional
Growth: Rapid growth

Annotation: Hardy plant of temperate climates, tolerating cold well; the flavor of the leaves is best when fresh and before going to seed.

Garden sorrel leaves are used fresh for their tangy taste, due to the presence of oxalic acid. They are traditionally used in the preparation of sorrel soups, sauces to accompany fish and white meats, and omelets or quiches.

They are eaten raw in small quantities in salads, or cooked like a leafy green, often mixed with other milder greens. It is common to chop them finely and sauté them in fat (butter, oil) before adding cream or stock.

Freezing after light cooking allows you to preserve sorrel for use out of season. Traditional medicinal uses exist but are not detailed here; it is also recommended that people sensitive to oxalic acid moderate their consumption.