The sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a plant that has been used for medicinal purposes and in the kitchen for centuries. However, apart from its own ingredients, this type of plant also poses a potential danger due to being confused with incompatible counterparts.
What can the sorrel be confused with?
Possible confusion with sorrel can occur with other sorrel species such as curly sorrel or small sorrel, or with Aaron's rod. A close look at the height, leaf shape, leaf appearance and flower color helps to differentiate.
Enjoy sorrel with caution
Basically, the young leaves of the sorrel in spring, raw or cooked, are a tasty wild herb delicacy with a fine acidity. Consumption becomes problematic from mid-June when the leaves begin to turn red. This indicates an increasing level of potassium hydrogen oxalate in the leaves, which is converted to oxalic acid in the human body and can cause cramps, diarrhea and organ damage. Since grazing cattle usually disdain the plants for this reason, many farmers fight sorrel in the fodder meadows. Children and young people should only consume dishes containing sorrel in limited quantities, otherwise symptoms of poisoning may occur. However, the effects of the ingredients in the leaves can be greatly reduced by scalding or boiling.
Confusions within the dock family
Within the botanical dock family, confusion with other dock species can occur. Curly dock (Rumex crispus) and small sorrel (Rumex acetosella) offer a certain potential for intolerance and poisoning, depending on the location. These can only be distinguished from the large sorrel (Rumex acetosa) by carefully examining the following criteria:
- Growth height
- Leaf shape and leaf appearance
- Flower color
The Confusion with the Rod of Aaron
It is possible to confuse the Rod of Aaron with the sorrel because of the very similar shaped and colored leaves. However, if you look closely, you can notice that the leaves of the sorrel have a pointed shape at the bottom of the leaf blade. In contrast, the leaves of Aaron's Rod are uniformly rounded in this area. In addition, the poisonous leaves of Aaron's Rod reveal themselves when lightly touched on the tongue through a stabbing pain that comes from the many small needles in the plant's sap. However, you should not try this yourself for safety reasons.
Tips & Tricks
To be sure when distinguishing between sorrel and Aaron's rod, you can wait for the inflorescences of both plant species in spring. While the Aaron's Rod produces its characteristic flowers near the ground, the panicle-shaped, reddish sorrel flowers grow up to a meter high.