Description

Red sorrel is a summer perennial. The leaves alternate and form a basal rosette. The older leaves are arrowhead shaped with two basal lobes attached to a petiole. Leaves formed along the stem are more elongated and usually lack the basal lobes. The margins of the leaf are smooth. The leaves become thick and fleshy over the summer months. The root of red sorrel is a shallow yellow taproot, combined with multiple rhizomes. Flowers are produced from May to September. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. The male flowers are yellow-green and the female flowers are reddish-brown. The flowering stems of red sorrel can be one or many developing from a crown or rhizome. Red sorrel spreads by seeds and rhizomes. Red sorrel is found throughout the United States.