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Bloody Dock

Rumex sanguineus (ROO-meks san-GWIN-ee-us)

Family: Polygonaceae Non-native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Bloody dock is a perennial native to Europe and parts of northern Iran. It has beautiful deeply-veined leaves that offer both ornamental and edible value. This plant grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It naturally grows well in ditches as they are more likely to have consistent moisture. While it grows tall stalks of flowers, these can be trimmed back to encourage bushier leaf growth and prevent rampant self-seeding. Plant seeds in spring.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 53 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Annual; Edible; Herbaceous Perennial; Vegetable
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Leaf color
Green; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblanceolate; Oblong
Leaf value
Edible; Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Deeply red-purple veined leaves.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Green; Red/Burgundy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Star-shaped flowers in early Summer on stems 2-3 ft. tall. Mature from green to red-brown.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Achene
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish flowering stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, N. Iran
Distribution
Naturalized in parts of US and Canada
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Fruit type
Achene

Edibility

Young leaves are edible raw or cooked, having a tart flavor. Older leaves are bitter and tough. Less commonly grown for eating than other species.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Pond
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border
Garden tags
#ditches #clumping #showy leaves #pond margins #edible garden #edible leaves #moist soil #herbaceous perennial #border planting #vegetable garden #full sun tolerant #colorful leaves #well-drained soil #container plant #perennial #annual #accent #edible #contact dermatitis #microgreens
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Insect and Related Pests of Vegetables; Red Sorrel
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Weedy
Propagation
Division; Seed
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Bark; Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
May cause mild stomach upset or irritate skin in those sensitive. Oxalic acid can bind to nutrients if ingested in large quantities, preventing absorption.
Toxic principle
Oxalic acid
Contact dermatitis
Yes
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Bark; Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds; Stems; contact dermatitis

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.