Sorrel is one of the few herbs that likes the damp, fertile soil a Scottish garden tends to have, unlike thyme or rosemary. So all four kinds grow well here, and the choice is mostly about flavour, habit and looks.

Quick answer

Common sorrel for the sharpest flavour and the toughest plant. French sorrel for a milder leaf and ground cover, red-veined sorrel for looks and young salad leaves, and Silver Shield for an ornamental potager if you can find it.

What Scotland means for the choice

All of them prefer fertile, moisture-retentive soil, which suits Scotland's wetter weather. Hardiness isn't a worry for the three with a rating: common sorrel is H7, hardy below -20°C, and French and red-veined sorrel H6The RHS's H1a–H7 scale for how much cold a plant can survive outdoors, H1a being tender indoor-only and H7 hardy anywhere in the UK. Full definition →, hardy anywhere in the UK. Dry weather is what makes sorrel run to seed, so water any variety through a dry spell. The sorrel growing guide covers sowing, spacing, picking and winter care.

A clump of plain green sorrel leaves next to a clump of sorrel leaves with dark red veining
Common sorrel (left) and red-veined sorrel (right).
SorrelHardinessSpreadFlavourBest for
Common (Rumex acetosa)H70.1–0.5mSharp, classic tangCooking; exposed or cold sites
French (Rumex scutatus)H61–1.5mMilderA milder leaf; ground cover and edging
Red-veined (Rumex sanguineus)H60.1–0.5mMild; best picked youngLooks; salad leaves
Silver ShieldNo rating givenNo figure givenMilder, less acidicOrnamental potagers

None of them holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Common sorrel

Common sorrel is a UK native with the sharpest flavour and the highest hardiness rating, H7, so it's the safest choice for an exposed or cold garden. It grows in sun or partial shade and prefers acid or neutral soil, which suits much of Scotland. It's plain green and upright, and it self-seeds freely, so cut the flower stems before they set seed if you don't want it spreading.

French sorrel and Silver Shield

French sorrel has grey-green, spear-shaped leaves with a milder, lemony flavour, on a low plant that spreads wide, up to 1.5m, so it makes good edging or ground cover. It grows in sun or partial shade. Silver Shield is a form of French sorrel with silvery-green leaves and an even milder, less acidic flavour, grown as much for looks as for the kitchen. There's little other detail on it, and it's harder to find.

Red-veined sorrel

Red-veined sorrel, also called wood dock, has mid to dark green leaves with striking dark red veins and stems. It's edible as well as ornamental: pick the leaves young for salads, since older ones toughen. It prefers full sun.

Which one for your situation

  • Sorrel for cooking: common sorrel.
  • A cold or exposed garden: common sorrel.
  • A milder flavour, or ground cover: French sorrel.
  • Colour in a border or salad bowl: red-veined sorrel.
  • An ornamental potager: Silver Shield, or red-veined sorrel if you can't find it.

All sorrel is harmful if eaten in large amounts, so use it as a flavouring, and wear gloves when handling it. Protect young leaves from slugs and snails, and in a pot, keep the compost from waterlogging over winter to avoid root rot.

Common questions

What is the difference between French and common sorrel?

Common sorrel has the sharper flavour and is the hardier of the two (H7 against H6). French sorrel is milder and spreads wide, making good ground cover.

Is red-veined sorrel edible?

Yes. It's grown for its red-veined leaves, which are edible and best picked young for salads.

Why does my sorrel keep running to seed?

Dry weather is the usual trigger, so water through dry spells. Cutting off flower stems as they appear keeps the leaves coming.

Sources

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