Rumex sanguineus ssp. sanguineus
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Rumex sanguineus ssp. sanguineus• Click here to visit our Main Plant List page for current availability of this plant
• common name: red-veined dock
• flowering season: early summer
• height: twelve to fifteen inches
• Light requirements: partial to full sun
• Soil requirements: average garden soil
• Water requirments: likes to be frequently watered or grown in constantly moist soil
• Growth habit: as a clump
• How to propagate: dividing in spring or early summer
• Leaf type: large, long blades of green leaves with dark red veins
• Ways to use it: in the flower garden or in a vegetable garden
Easily grown, the attractive leaves of this perennial have richly red veins on their long pointed green leaves. The leaves are edible, with the youngest leaves being the best ones to harvest.They can be used much like spinach or chard, either uncooked in a fresh salad or steamed as a side dish. The older leaves will be tougher, however could be chopped and cooked in a stir-fry. This red-veined dock prefers moist soil although it grows well in drier gardens if watered regularly. It is robust enough to survive in dry conditions, by temporarily shedding its oldest leaves. It flowers early in the summer, although the flowers are best removed as they are not especially colorful, being small and green, turning reddish-brown as they mature. Removing the flowers encourages a plant to produce a continuous crop of new leaves throughout summer. A plant of this is easily propagated in spring by digging it and dividing into several pieces.