Ornamental Sorrel

Other Names: Bloody Dock

Description:

This variety is a taprooted perennial producing a rosette of leaves distinctively marked with deep red veins; a hard clipping back after blooming rejuvenates the foliage; beautiful along the front of borders or in containers

Ornamental Features:

Ornamental Sorrel's attractive crinkled narrow leaves remain dark green in colour with distinctive dark red veins throughout the season. It features subtle spikes of green star-shaped flowers rising above the foliage in early summer. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The dark red stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes:

Ornamental Sorrel is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Ornamental Sorrel is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Mass Planting
• Container Planting

Plant Characteristics:

Ornamental Sorrel will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years.

This perennial does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This plant can be propagated by division.

This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.