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Rumex sanguineus

wood dock

Polygonaceae Europe, North Africa, western Asia

Deer Resistant Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Rumex sanguineus is a clump-forming perennial dock 30-100 cm (12-39 in) tall, with a basal rosette of lance-shaped to oblong leaves and slender, upright, branching flower stems. In the form grown ornamentally the green leaves are boldly marked with deep red to purple veins, while the wild plant (var. viridis) has plain green veining. From early summer it sends up airy, whorled spikes of tiny greenish flowers that age to reddish-brown, carried in interrupted clusters along wiry stems. The flowers are wind-pollinated and give way to small three-winged seeds that ripen brown and persist into autumn. It self-seeds freely in damp ground and can spread into a weedy patch if the spikes are left to set seed. The leaves contain oxalic acid and oxalate salts, which can cause stomach upset and, in quantity, are harmful, though young leaves are eaten sparingly as a salad leaf. It grows in moist, fertile soil in partial shade, holds its red-veined foliage most strongly in cool, bright shade, and can scorch and bolt in hot, dry, sunny sites.

Native Range

Rumex sanguineus is native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, including the British Isles. It grows in damp deciduous woodland, woodland rides, shady hedge banks, ditches, and disturbed moist ground. It is not native to North America, where the red-veined form is grown as an ornamental and salad plant and has locally naturalised.

Suggested Uses

Planted in moist, shaded borders, woodland edges, bog-garden margins, and containers for its red-veined foliage. Grown as a cut-and-come-again salad leaf in kitchen and forage gardens, used young and sparingly. Its self-seeding and dislike of hot, dry sun make it suited to cool, moist, partly shaded settings.

How to Identify

Identify the ornamental form of Rumex sanguineus by its green leaves veined in deep red to purple, held in a low rosette below slender, branching flower stems. The tiny greenish flowers turn reddish-brown in interrupted whorls, and each ripe seed sits in a small three-winged case. The red-veined leaves separate the garden form from common docks, while the wild green-veined plant is told apart by its slender, sparingly branched, shade-woodland habit.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'3"

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Summer

Flowering runs from June to August. The small greenish flowers open in slender whorled spikes and age to reddish-brown over summer. Three-winged seeds ripen brown from late summer and persist on the dried stems into autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Greenish turning reddish-brown

Foliage Description

Green with red to purple veins

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-6 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay silt

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Rumex sanguineus in moist, fertile soil in partial shade, where its red-veined leaves stay deepest in colour. It tolerates a wide pH range and damp ground but scorches, fades, and runs to flower in hot, dry, sunny positions. The plant is hardy and needs no winter protection across temperate zones. Remove the flower spikes before they set seed to keep the foliage compact and limit self-sowing. Cut back tired leaves through the season to encourage fresh, well-coloured growth. Water in dry spells, as drought triggers early bolting; little feeding is needed on reasonable soil.

Pruning

Cut off the flower spikes as they appear to direct energy into the coloured leaves and to prevent prolific self-seeding. Remove faded or scorched leaves through summer to keep fresh foliage coming. Cut the whole plant back in late autumn once growth dies down.