9 useful facts to know about sorrel and its properties

Sorrel grows easily, and its fresh lemon flavour is very variable depending on the dishes in which it is used, salads, soups or frittatas. The parts used are the leaves (common sorrel) and roots (curly dock). Here is some information that might be helpful.

Sorrel is a precocious plant, which is well-suited to spring salads and as an aromatic plant. Three kinds are grown to be cooked. All are hardy and resistant.

• Common sorrel: It forms tufts, with leaves measuring 15 centimetres (six inches). In early summer, the slender stems bear spikes of small reddish flowers, which are followed by small hard nuts.

• Round sorrel (shield-leaf sorrel): Forms a low ground cover with small oval, sagittate leaves on stems measuring 30 centimetres (12 inches); its small flowers are red-green.

• Blood sorrel: Pretty bright green ribbed leaves that are veined with red. They have more flavour when grown as mesclun (greens) salad mix in a warm climate.

• Profusion: Does not flower but produces fresh, new leaves almost all year.
• Silver Shield: Has silvery mottled leaves.

• Sorrel needs rich, moist soil in full sun or partial shade.

• Sow the seeds of the species in the spring.
• They germinate after 14 days.
• Divide the varieties in the springtime.

• Round sorrel (shield-leaf sorrel) is invasive in nature.
• Prune regularly to control it and to get a supply of seedlings.
• Cut the flowering spikes to prevent it from reseeding and to prolong leaf production.

• No major problems.

• Pick fresh sorrel during the growing season.
• It dries badly, but can be frozen.

• This leaf that resembles spinach is delicious when it is picked tender; choose younger leaves.
• To keep its flavour, it should be cooked quickly.
• Mashed sorrel goes well with fish, eggs, pork or veal; its acidity also tenderizes the meat.
• Sorrel sauce is a classic in French cuisine for accompanying fish.

• Sheep's sorrel and other kinds of sorrel have been shown to have remarkable diuretic properties.
• They are often taken as a tonic in the spring. Also prescribed are juices or infusions of fresh leaves in the event of a fever.
• Sheep's sorrel is one of the ingredients of essiac, a plant preparation that is based on a Native American traditional remedy.
• Although there is no scientific evidence for its stimulant properties on the immune system, this herbal tea has been consumed for years by cancer patients and more recently by people with HIV or diabetes.
• Fuzzy sorrel is used in cases of chronic skin disease and arthritis problems.
• Herbalists consider that many of these diseases are linked to an accumulation of toxins in the body: curly dock can calm them by stimulating the liver and intestine to eliminate these toxins through its slightly laxative action.

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