Rumex brownii
slender dock
Overview
Rumex brownii is an erect perennial herb in the dock family, growing 16-40 inches (40-100 cm) tall from a stout rootstock. The basal leaves are lance-shaped to oblong, 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) long, with wavy margins and a long stalk, while the stem leaves are smaller and narrower upward. Wiry, branched flowering stems rise above the foliage and carry many small greenish flowers in well-spaced whorls along the upper branches. As the fruit matures, each flower develops three triangular valves about 0.1-0.2 inch (3-5 mm) long edged with curved, hook-tipped teeth that catch on wool, fur, and clothing, dispersing the seed. Foliage is mid green, sometimes flushed red on the stems and leaf stalks. The plant dies back in cold or dry conditions and reshoots from the rootstock when moisture returns. It establishes quickly on disturbed and damp ground, where it is treated as a minor weed of pastures and gardens.
Native Range
Native to Australia, occurring in all mainland states and Tasmania. It grows in damp and disturbed sites including creek banks, drainage lines, floodplains, roadsides, and pasture, from the coast to inland areas.Suggested Uses
Occasionally grown in wetland, bog-garden, and revegetation plantings on damp ground, spaced 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) apart. More often it is managed as a weed of pasture, lawns, and moist garden beds. The hooked seeds can contaminate wool and animal coats.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1'4" - 3'4"
Width/Spread8" - 1'8"
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Bloom Information
Flowers mainly in spring and summer (September to February), with timing shifting earlier in warm inland areas. The small green flowers are wind-pollinated and open over several weeks. Hooked fruits ripen from late spring through autumn and persist on dry stems.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
mid green, stems often red-flushedGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade on a wide range of soils, preferring moist to seasonally wet ground. Established plants tolerate short dry spells by dying back to the rootstock, then reshoot after rain. Plants self-seed freely, and the hooked fruits spread on animals and clothing, so seedlings appear well away from the parent. Removal of flowering stems before fruit set limits spread. Rust fungi and leaf-eating insects occur but rarely affect vigour. Like other docks, the foliage contains soluble oxalates that are toxic to livestock and people in large amounts.Pruning
Cutting or mowing the flowering stems before the fruit hardens reduces self-seeding and the spread of hooked seeds. Plants reshoot from the rootstock after cutting. Removing the whole crown is needed to stop regrowth, as cut stems alone do not kill established plants.Pruning Schedule
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late springsummer