Practical
Plants

Oxyria digyna

Mountain Sorrel

a perennial member of the Oxyria genus in the family Polygonaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Oxyria
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.45 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are 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[7].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[4][10][11][12][8]. A pleasing acid taste[3] and an excellent potherb[1]. A very nice addition to salads[K]. The leaves can be fermented into a sauerkraut for winter use[3]. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet,

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are rich in vitamin C and are used to treat scurvy[6]. The roots, stems and leaves are cooked and eaten in the treatment of dysentery[9].

Product or use
Antiscorbutic
Product or use
Astringent

Environment

Range
Mountains of the northern temperate zone, including Britain.
Habitat
Damp rocky places on mountains, especially by streams, avoiding acid soils[2]. Locally common on enriched soils below bird roosts[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 2+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. The seed germinates within 2 weeks. It can also be sown as soon as it is ripe, when it germinates within a few days. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots as soon as they are ripe and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in the spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a moist well-drained rocky soil in a sunny position or partial shade[5]. Requires a lime free soil[5]. There is some controversy here since the plant is said to avoid acid soils in the wild[K].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  4. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press 1963-00-00 ISBN 63-7093

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  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

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  8. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

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  9. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

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  10. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  11. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

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  12. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

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