Sheep Sorrel, or Rumex Acetosella, is a member of the Buckwheat family, Polygonaceae . It's a hardy perennial down to zone 2. These plants thrive in a wide range of different environments, but When planted in good garden soil and given plenty of water, the leaves grow to be tender and substantial, so it's easy to gather in large quantities for culinary purposes. This plant is superior to french sorrel because even when the plants are in flower, the leaves remain tender and delicious. Over time, the plant can slowly spread by underground rhizomes, so it's easy to establish a nice sized patch of this delicious and versatile herb. Medicinally, this plant is extremely effective for eliminating intestinal parasites, prevent and slow the growth of certain cancers, and enhance digestion. This is an extremely useful plant to have in any medicinal garden.

Growing instructions:

Sheep Sorrel seeds may be started in pots in the spring, or directly sown into the ground. If sown indoors, it's good to cold stratify them in the refrigerator for a couple weeks before planting because this increases the germination rate, but this isn't necessary as many seeds will germinate regardless. Sow the seeds in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). The soil should be made moist, but not damp. Sow the seeds 1/8 inch below the soil surface. Store in a warm area until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures are consistently 6°C or higher. Once transplanted and established, These plants will live for many years assuming you live in zone 2 or warmer. The plants don’t require very much attention once established other than some mulch and regular watering. Sheep Sorrel is resistant to deer, pests, drought, and flood; It’s a very robust plant.