Sorrel

Sorrel is a perennial plant with a very lemony bite. It is best identified by its glossy, narrow, arrow-shaped leaves with pointed lobes at the base. There are three varieties of Wild Sorrel that can be found all over Newfoundland. Sorrel should be eaten in small quantities due to the fact that it contains oxalic acid. But small amounts are perfectly fine to eat, so I regularly use sheep and garden sorrel in my salads for a nice lemony flavour.

Sheep Sorrel: the much smaller of the three types, and the one with the most bite. Found in disturbed open areas like gravel lots, meadows and roadsides, it likes acidic, poor nutrient areas, but in areas with better soil, the leaves are much bigger and have a better texture.

Garden Sorrel: has much bigger leaves and can be found growing in great quantity in rich soil. It is frequently found in meadows and lawns, gardens and along the edges of woodlands. This is definitely the one to harvest.

Curly Dock: Curly Dock is related to sorrel but is much bigger than the other varieties and has a much tougher texture. I don't use it in salads as I do with Sheep and Garden Sorrel, but it can be used as a cooked or wilted green. The reddish flowers are much bigger as well and clusters of reddish seeds can be toasted and eaten with granola, yogurt, or ground and milled to create flour. The leaves of Dock can me crushed to release some of the liquid or juices and used to sooth stinging nettle rash or bee stings.