Curled Dock, Curly dock
Rumex crispus
Family: Polygonaceae
What it is like
Rumex crispus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to October, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Growing almost anywhere, it is found especially in grassy places, waste ground, roadsides and near sand dunes and is a serious weed of agriculture.
Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Leaves - raw or cooked. They can also be dried for later use. The leaves can be added to salads, cooked as a potherb or added to soups. Only the very young leaves should be used, preferably before the stems have developed, and even these are likely to be bitter. If used in early spring and in the autumn they can often be fairly pleasant tasting. The leaves are very rich in vitamins and minerals, especially iron and the vitamins A and C. A nutritional analysis is available. Stems - raw or cooked. They are best peeled and the inner portion eaten. Seed - raw or cooked. It can be used as a piñole or can be ground into a powder and used as a flour for making pancakes etc. The seed is very fiddly to harvest and prepare. The roasted seed has been used as a coffee substitute.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Medicine
Rating: 3
Curled dock has a long history of domestic herbal use. It is a gentle and safe laxative, less powerful than rhubarb in its action so it is particularly useful in the treatment of mild constipation. The plant has valuable cleansing properties and is useful for treating a wide range of skin problems. All parts of the plant can be used, though the root is most active medicinally. The root is alterative, antiscorbutic, astringent, cholagogue, depurative, laxative and mildly tonic. It used to be sold as a tonic and laxative. It can cause or relieve diarrhoea according to the dose, harvest time and relative concentrations of tannin(astringent) and anthraquinones (laxative) that are present. It is used internally in the treatment of constipation, diarrhoea, piles, bleeding of the lungs, various blood complaints and also chronic skin diseases. Externally, the root can be mashed and used as a poultice and salve, or dried and used as a dusting powder, on sores, ulcers, wounds and various other skin problems. The root has been used with positive effect to restrain the inroads made by cancer, being used as an alterative and tonic. The root is harvested in early spring and dried for later use. Some caution is advised in its use since excess doses can cause gastric disturbance, nausea and dermatitis. The seed is used in the treatment of diarrhoea. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root, harvested in the autumn before frost has touched the plant. It is only used in the treatment of a specific type of cough.
Alterative: Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
Antiscorbutic: A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Cholagogue: Increases the flow of bile and its discharge from the body.
Depurative: Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.
Homeopathy: A plant used in homeopathic treatments.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating: 2
Yellow, dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots. They do not need a mordant. An alternative ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator. (is it the flowers?) This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost.
Compost: Plants used for activating compost heaps, providing biomass for composting, using as instant compost etc.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Dynamic accumulator: Plants that gather minerals or nutrients from the soil and store them in a more bioavailable form and in high concentration in their tissues. Used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils, preferring a moist moderately fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position. The plant does not need any help in growing, it is doing very nicely in Britain where it is a serious weed of agriculture. A very important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterfly. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is fleshy. Thick or swollen - fibrous or tap root .
Propagating it: Seed - this plant does not require any help in its propagation.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Meadow;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition. Avoid during pregnancy & breast feeding.
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Lapathum crispum Garsault [Invalid]. Lapathum crispum (L.) Scop. Rumex elongatus Guss.