Rumex crispus - Curled Dock

Family:	Polygonaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.6
Width:	0.3
Synonyms:	R. elongatus.
Range:	Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa.

Rumex crispus (Curled Dock) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.6m and a width of 0.3m . It has a hardness rating of 5and is vunerable to frost.
Curled Dock will flower in December to April. the seeds ripen from January to April
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Wind

Soil Information

Curled Dock will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Curled Dock prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Curled Dock can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Growing almost anywhere[5], it is found especially in grassy places, waste ground, roadsides and near sand dunes and is a serious weed of agriculture[17, 244].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge
• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils, preferring a moist moderately fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[200]. The plant does not need any help in growing, it is doing very nicely in Britain where it is a serious weed of agriculture. A very important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterfly[30].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Leaves - raw or cooked[5, 85, 159]. They can also be dried for later use[12]. The leaves can be added to salads, cooked as a potherb or added to soups[183]. Only the very young leaves should be used, preferably before the stems have developed, and even these are likely to be bitter[12, 95, 257]. If used in early spring and in the autumn they can often be fairly pleasant tasting[85, 159, K]. The leaves are very rich in vitamins and minerals, especially iron and the vitamins A and C[183, 244]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Stems - raw or cooked[257]. They are best peeled and the inner portion eaten[257]. Seed - raw or cooked[172, 257]. It can be used as a piñole or can be ground into a powder and used as a flour for making pancakes etc[85, 102, 183, 257]. The seed is very fiddly to harvest and prepare[62]. The roasted seed has been used as a coffee substitute[207].

• Coffee - the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
• Leaves -
• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 3/5
Curled dock has a long history of domestic herbal use. It is a gentle and safe laxative, less powerful than rhubarb in its action so it is particularly useful in the treatment of mild constipation[254]. The plant has valuable cleansing properties and is useful for treating a wide range of skin problems[254]. All parts of the plant can be used, though the root is most active medicinally. The root is alterative, antiscorbutic, astringent, cholagogue, depurative, laxative and mildly tonic[4, 21, 46, 94, 165]. It used to be sold as a tonic and laxative[212]. It can cause or relieve diarrhoea according to the dose, harvest time and relative concentrations of tannin(astringent) and anthraquinones (laxative) that are present[222]. It is used internally in the treatment of constipation, diarrhoea, piles, bleeding of the lungs, various blood complaints and also chronic skin diseases[4, 238, 257]. Externally, the root can be mashed and used as a poultice and salve, or dried and used as a dusting powder, on sores, ulcers, wounds and various other skin problems[257]. The root has been used with positive effect to restrain the inroads made by cancer, being used as an alterative and tonic[4]. The root is harvested in early spring and dried for later use[4]. Some caution is advised in its use since excess doses can cause gastric disturbance, nausea and dermatitis[222, 238]. The seed is used in the treatment of diarrhoea[4, 218]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root, harvested in the autumn before frost has touched the plant[232]. It is only used in the treatment of a specific type of cough[232].

• Alterative - Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
• Antiscorbutic - A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Cancer - Used in the treatment of cancer.
• Cholagogue - Increases the flow of bile and its discharge from the body.
• Depurative - Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.
• Homeopathy - A plant used in homeopathic treatments.
• Laxative - Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
• Poultice - A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
• Salve - Soothes and heals damaged skin.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Propagation

Seed - this plant does not require any help in its propagation.

Known Hazards

Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[238].

Other Uses

Yellow, dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots. They do not need a mordant[168]. An alternative ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator[32]. (is it the flowers?) This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K].

• Compost - Plants used for activating compost heaps, providing biomass for composting, using as instant compost etc.
• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

DISCLAIMER: All information published on AussieGardening.com.au is for entertainment purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained here with other sources. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by doctors or dietary advice by dieticians. AussieGardening.com.au will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or other damages arising therefrom.