Sheep Sorrel
14 Jun
Common Name: Sheep Sorrel
Latin Name: Rumex acetosella
Description: Sheep Sorrel can very from 6 inches to 2 feet in height. It has lance shaped green leaves with two lobes that are very distinguishable from other plants. Many people who identify Sheep Sorrel for their first time comment that its leaves resemble a fish or a sword. The flowers grow on the plants elongated stock and range in color from white to red.
Habitat: Sorrel like disturbed soil and is often found in empty fields, rocky meadows, and along roadways. Sheep Sorrel can be found from Alaska to California as well as throughout the continental United States.
Food Use: Leaves and flowers can be eaten raw in salads or as trail side nibble. The tender leaves are sour in taste and make a lovely addition to smoothies or salad dressings. When crushed, added to water, and mixed with natural sweetener, sorrel leaves make a mouth-watering lemon-aid substitute when lemons are not available.
Nutritional Information: Sorrel is rich in iron, great for treating constipation, blood disorders, skin disease, rheumatism, and indigestion. It is also great for cleansing the system of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury.
Recipe: Sheep Sorrel Lemon Aid (More recipes like this one in can be found in “Fresh” by Sergei and Valya Boutenko)
cup of sheep sorrel leaves (crushed)
2-3 cups of water
2 Tablespoons of honey
hint of wild mint (optional)
Mix all ingredients. Serve after 15 minutes.
Serves 3
