Swamp Dock
Rumex brownii
Family: Polygonaceae
What it is like
Rumex brownii is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in flower from September to November. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. 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
Moist places such as the banks of creeks, often in clay soils, in the montane and sub-alpine zones. Often found as a weed of damp lawns and pastures in Australia.
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria. Casual in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Leaves - cooked. The leaves can be up to 30cm long and, cooked with their midrib removed, they make a fine substitute for leaf beet. The roasted root is a coffee substitute
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 1
A rich yellow dye is obtained from the root if it is fixed with alum. Although no specific mention has been made for this species, dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots of many species in this genus, They do not need a mordant.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils but prefers a deep fertile moderately heavy soil that is humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained and a position in full-sun or part shade. This species is sometimes introduced into Britain via bales of wool from Australia and it then persists for a few years.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring.
Best place to grow: Lawn; Bog Garden; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness:
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.