Content
- The confusion of the sorrel with other plant species
- Only enjoy sorrel with care
- Confusion within the family of the dock
- The confusion with the Aaronstab
- Tips & Tricks
The confusion of the sorrel with other plant species
The sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a plant that has been used for centuries for healing purposes and in the kitchen. However, apart from its own ingredients, this plant species also poses a potential danger due to confusion with incompatible double occupants.
Early article Effectively combat the sorrel in the gardenOnly enjoy sorrel with care
Basically, the young leaves of the sorrel are raw or cooked in spring a tasty wild herb delicacy with fine acidity. The problem is from the middle of June, when the leaves begin to turn red. This indicates an increase in the content of potassium hydrogen oxalate in the leaves, which is converted to oxalic acid in the human body and can lead to seizures, diarrhea and organ damage. Because grazing livestock for this reason usually spurns the plants, the sorrel is fought by many farmers in the meadows. Children and adolescents should consume dishes with sorrel content only in limited quantities, otherwise poisoning symptoms may occur. However, the effects of the ingredients in the leaves can be greatly mitigated by scalding or cooking.
Confusion within the family of the dock
Within the sorrel botanical family, confusion with other dock species may occur. Curled dock (Rumex crispus) and small sorrel (Rumex acetosella) offer some potential for intolerance and poisoning, depending on the location. These can only be distinguished from the Great Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) by examining the following criteria:
The confusion with the Aaronstab
A confusion of the Aaronstabs with the sorrel is possible because of the very similar shaped and colored leaves. However, if you look closely, you can see that the leaves of the sorrel at the lower end of the leaf blade have a pointed shape. The leaves of the Aaronstabs, in contrast, are evenly rounded in this area. In addition, the poisonous leaves of the Aaronstabs unmask themselves with a light touch of the tongue by a stinging pain that comes from the many small needles in the juice of the plant. But you should not try this yourself for security reasons.
Tips & Tricks
To be sure of the distinction between sorrel and Aaronstab, you can wait for the inflorescences of both plant species in the spring. While the Aaronstab forms its characteristic flowers near the ground, the pan-shaped, reddish sorrel flowers grow up to a meter high.