Curly Dock looks just what it sounds like; the leaves are narrow and curl along the edges, they are about 15 to 30cm long and get shorter and smaller as they grow closer to the top of the plant. If you’ve ever eaten any of these vegetables, you know they are tangy from the oxalic acid in them; rhubarb leaves have so much of this that they are toxic. Old leaves need to be boiled in at least one change of water to help mitigate this. It has smooth leaves shooting off from a large basal rosette, with distinctive waved or curled edges. Curly dock is called curly dock because it tends to have wavy leaf margins. What to do with them? The 6-8" long elliptical or lance-shaped leaves of curly dock have entire but wavy margins (not toothed). If you catch dock too late, it will send up a flower stalk that can grow to 3 feet high. Curly dock is found virtually everywhere in the world, naturalized and in some places invasive. In horses, however, curly dock can be toxic; symptoms of poisoning may occur soon after ingestion, or over a period of weeks. Leaf width is the most diagnostic feature to separate the two species. Leaves are alternate to one another along the stem forming a rosette. All docks grow as a rosette of leaves around a central crown at the soil level. It is widely naturalised throughout the temperate world and has become a serious invasive species in many areas, including throughout North America, southern South America, New Zealand and parts of Australia. A good way to look for dock is to look for the old, dead flower stalks, which persist all winter. Many is he in farm country who has spent days clearing pastures of the stuff, for, as USU Extension explains, the leaves of curly dock “are poisonous to cattle and sheep; the “seeds and vegetation of curly dock are toxic to poultry and can cause dermatitis and gastric problems in cattle;” and curly dock is “an alternate host to … In Western herbalism, the root is often used for treating anemia, due to its high level of iron. [17], The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered root to sores, rashes and skin infections, and use infusion of the root for athlete's foot.[18]. These leaves are not as bitter. Curly dock is good forage for humans, though such is not the case for livestock. [14] The dark-brown to black seed pods remain on the stalk until the spring when leaves start growing again. © 2020 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, All Rights Reserved. Summary: Curled Dock is an erect, several stemmed plant up to 1.5 m tall with long, pointed, oval, crisped edged leaves, 40-240 mm long in a basal rosette and smaller leaves up the stem. Curly dock seedlings vary in color, from entirely green to red tinged in cooler months. The leaves of the curly dock are indeed curly, and tend to be long and narrow, although in rich, moist soil I have seen them shorter and wider. A papery sheath surrounds the stem at each node. Stems . It likes construction sites, fallow fields, places chewed up by vehicle tires, roadsides — in other words, a lot of places that aren’t exactly ideal for foraging, because plants growing in compromised places can sometimes contain heavy metals within them, or might have just been sprayed with pesticide. Curly dock Rumex crispus L.. Family: Polygonaceae (Smartweed family) Life cycle: Perennial, reproducing by seed Native status: Introduced Habitat: Pastures, roadsides, low maintenance turf, waste areas General description: Basal rosette of elongated leaves (up to 12 in long) with wavy margins.Leaves are a dull green. Other parts of the country have their own native docks, but the unifier is curly dock, R. crispus. Or olive oil, chile, garlic and black pepper. Camazine, Scott and Robert A. Bye 1980 A Study Of The Medical Ethnobotany Of The Zuni Indians of New Mexico. Here in the West we have Rumex occidentalis, or Western dock plant. Rumex spp., commonly known as broadleaf dock, cushy-cows, butterdock, kettle dock, curly dock and smair dock, is a species of flowering plant in a buckwheat family Polygonaceae. When you dig up this plant, you find a long golden color tap root. How young do you want your dock plant leaves? Also, their leaves may be slightly rounder and broader than those of mature curly dock … Figure 2: Curly dock cotyledons are round at the apex and narrow at the base. [4], Common in Ireland,[5][6] the United States, and southern Canada.[7]. Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) is a long lived perennial with a basal rosette of long-stalked, smooth ovate-oblong leaves, stems 80cm-1m (32in-3¼ft) high and the distinctive seedheads on spikes that persist into winter.The tap root can be up to 90cm (3ft) in length. [8] The flowers are numerous, tiny and green on spikes (B). Gotta say it rocked the house! The leaves are fairly thick and the stems can get a tinge of red, especially in cold weather. The three varieties of dock are: Curled dock, Western dock and Willow dock. Common names are tricky for that very reason; they change from place to place. Flowering stem has a few leaves and reaches heights of 3 ft. Curly Dock is distinguished by its curly leaf margins, its long leaf petioles, and the reddish spots developing as the leaves age. Thankfully, not all instances have fatal outcomes. 2014, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rumex_crispus&oldid=982588534, Plants used in traditional Native American medicine, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 October 2020, at 02:24. How to Use Curly Dock Leaves. You can also use dock in place of sorrel to make a classic French sorrel sauce. Rumex longifolius – Yard dock, door yard dock or northern dock, this species looks very similar to curly dock, but the flavor is considerably more bitter. Rumex crispus ssp. Classification Curly dock ( Rumex crispus ) is a member of the diverse Polygonaceae family, which encompasses 1,200 species , including trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs, such as buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum ) and rhubarb ( Rheum rhabarbarum ). Curly dock is a tall plant that has broad green leaves that curl along the edges. The leaves can also be steamed like spinach, and served lightly seasoned, ideally mixed with other greens or vegetables. The leaves can be added to salads, cooked as a potherb or added to soups. This plant is also known as curled dock, narrow dock and curly leaf dock. [citation needed] Some studies show that certain anthroquinones can help stop or slow cancer growth, but this may or may not apply to the ones in yellow dock. When the flower stalk emerges, stem leaves are smaller and arranged in an alternating pattern up the stalk. The plant has both basal leaves and leaves on the stem, which are alternate. The leaves can also be steamed like spinach, and served lightly seasoned, ideally mixed with other greens or vegetables. It is classified as an "injurious weed" under the UK Weeds Act 1959. Adult moths oviposit on these dense, low-lying leaves during the spring/summer season.[11]. But I … Curly dock, as you might imagine, has wavy, ruffled edges to its leaves. Rumex obtusifolius is widely distributed throughout the world. Remember, however, that like everything in the rumex clan, that pretty emerald dulls to Army green within seconds of hitting the heat. This slender plant grows to about 4 feet tall. This plant also produces flowers that are mostly green with a potential hint of … Emergence: Curly dock seeds germinate in cool, moist soil from late spring through early fall as conditions permit. Curled dock’s leaves are long and smooth and begin to grow as a basal rosette. They can grow up to 2 feet long and 3 1/2 inches across, but most are smaller. Forms a basal rosette that bolts prior to flowering, unbranched, reaching 3 to 4 feet in height. The leaves are fairly thick and the stems can get a tinge of red, especially in cold weather. The texture of the cooked leaves is slightly mucilaginous. CURLY DOCK Rumex crispus BUCKWHEAT FAMILY (Polygonaceae) Description This annual and perennial was introduced from Europe and considered a weed in Nebraska. The stalk will ripen all summer and eventually turn an attractive, rusty brown. Edges of things. The plant produces an inflorescence or flower stalk that grows to about 1 m high. It mentions also passing pains, excessive itching, and that it helps enlarged lymphs. Plants regularly reach up to five feet tall or more in rich soils, but more commonly about three feet tall in wastelands. Or olive oil and Spanish smoked paprika. Exotic, rich, spicy, tangy, “green.” For a less esoteric take, go for butter and Cajun seasoning. Or sesame oil and Japanese togarashi. Yellow dock is an ingredient in some herbal toothpastes. Rumex triangulivalvis – White dock, willow dock or narrow-leafed dock is identified by it’s long, flat, narrow leaves that vaguely resemble willow leaves in shape (only much larger). The first few leaves are egg shaped to football shaped with a rounded tip and a tapered base. This casing enables the seeds to float on water and get caught in wool and animal fur, and this helps the seeds to spread to new locations. Rumex crispus has a number of subspecies with distinctive habitat preferences. While many wild foraged grains must be winnowed, the pods of Rumex Crispus are small enough that it is more efficient to grind them with the grain. Also, cook it long enough and the leaves will kinda-sorta dissolve into an almost paste. Curly dock is characterized by its distinctive pointed green leaves with curled edges; pale green, drooping flowers; and reddish-brown winged fruit. Appearance. There are also seashore docks (R. maritima) as well as desert docks, but I find the desert dock (R. hymenosepalus) to be really, really bitter. Curled dock has tall flower spikes with … (Note that burdock is a different plant entirely.) It is native to Europe which is now available in United States, Australia, New Zealand and others. Docks are in the rumex family, and are related to rhubarb and sorrel and oxalis. Alternate, long and narrow with round to pointed tips and wavy margins. Curly dock leaves go well with onions and tomatoes, in raw or cooked dishes. Docks tend to get these when the leaves get older — if you see those blotches, move on: The leaves will likely be bitter and leathery. Curled Dock refers to the curled or wavy edges of the leaves and it membership of the Dock genus. Look for curly dock in waste places and disturbed ground. They can also be dried for later use. My advice: Don’t bother. Richard H. Uva, Joseph C. Neal and Joseph M. Ditomaso, Busching, M. K., and F. T. Turpin. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This plant is poisonous to goats and sheep therefore using them as a weed removal system isn’t the best idea. [10] It is often seen in disturbed soils at the edges of roadsides, railway beds, and car parks. Established plants emerge from the taproot in midspring, producing a robust rosette. Also note the blotches. It is used mainly for respiratory conditions, specifically those with a tickling cough that is worse when exposed to cold air. [13] Curly Dock leaves are somewhat tart due to the presence of high levels of oxalic acid, and although quite palatable, this plant should only be consumed in moderation as it can irritate the urinary tract and increase the risk of developing kidney stones. The leaves are lance-shaped with curly edges (A). They all have broad, simple leaves, too. Both the leaves and root may be laxative in some individuals, though not in all, and generally it is mild. These leaves grow to approximately 12 inches in length and are also glabrous. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. Curly dock has dark green, hairless Stick with the young leaves. Edible parts of Curled Dock: Leaves - raw or cooked. What I did in the picture up top was to go Ethiopian. The leaves of curly dock are hairless, long and narrow, and often have wavy or curly edges—which is where it gets its common name. Curly dock (Rumex crispus) is a non-native forb in the buckwheat or smartweed family (Polygonaceae). By Hank Shaw on February 16, 2015, Updated January 27, 2020 - 16 Comments. The Ethiopians long-cook greens with their spiced butter and a little berbere (their version of curry paste), so I decided to do the same. The texture of the cooked leaves is slightly mucilaginous. Here in NorCal, edible green things grow all year long, and you can take your pick if you are even a half-decent forager. If you unroll one, you’ll notice it’s a little sticky-slimy. This plant has medical uses in European herbal medicine as well. This makes curly dock one of the easier plants for beginners to identify. Broad-leaved dock, on the other hand, has fatter leaves. Dock leaves are an excellent source of both vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as a source of iron and potassium. Use them raw or cooked. uliginosus occurs on tidal estuarine mud. Curly dock leaves are lanceolate and up to 20 inches long, whereas broadleaf dock has lanceolate-ovate leaves that are up to 30 inches long. My spots are mostly in neglected corners of local parks, away from the manicured grass and the pesticides those lawns probably contain. It can be used as a wild leaf vegetable; the young leaves should be boiled in several changes of water to remove as much of the oxalic acid in the leaves as possible or can be added directly to salads in moderate amounts. 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