Rumex patientia, known as patient dock, ragged dock, dockleaf or simply dock, is a perennial herb in the buckwheat family, native to Europe and northern Asia. The plant is common in disturbed habitats, including waste ground, roadsides and cultivated land. It is a herbaceous plant growing to 1 m tall, with egg-shaped to lanceolate leaves 10โ25 cm long and 2โ8 cm broad. The flowers are borne in dense clusters of small greenish-yellow florets, blooming from June to September. The fruit is an achene 3โ4 mm long, borne in a globose cluster 4โ6 mm diameter. The plant propagates readily by means of its seeds, which are often found in bird droppings. It is sometimes considered a weed, due to its rapid growth and ability to survive in poor soil. Some authorities consider the plant to be invasive. The plant is rich in tannins and other compounds, and has a long history of use in traditional medicine.
Growing Details
Patient dock is a very easy plant to grow, and it will succeed in almost any soil. It prefers a moist soil but once established it will tolerate drought conditions. The plant is capable of regenerating from very small pieces of rootstock, and it can be difficult to eradicate once it is established in a garden. It is best not to allow the plant to flower and set seed if you wish to avoid it becoming a weed.
The map shows known occurrence points of <strong>Rumex patientia</strong> recorded in scientific biodiversity databases.
Source: <a href="https://www.gbif.org" target="_blank">GBIF.org</a> โ Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Location & Timing
native geo location: Europe, Asia
applicable geo region: Temperate zones worldwide
language used: english
Flowering:
beginning
of Jun for 120 days
Harvest:
middle
of May for 90 days
Seed Start:
beginning
of March
Indoor Start:
Transplant:
Uses & Benefits
Edible Rating:
(1/5)
edible uses: The young leaves can be cooked and used as a pot herb, or added to soups and stews as a flavouring. The leaves contain up to 22% tannin, and so are astringent. They can be used as a potherb or in salads, or as a tea.
Medicinal Rating:
(0/5)
medicinal uses: None known.
health concerns: None known.
other uses: None known.
Scientific Literature
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Botanical data
specie: Rumex patientia
common names: pitomo zelje
family: Polygonaceae
sub family: Polygonoideae
tribe: Rumiceae
sub tribe: Rumiceae
genus: Rumex
Growing Conditions
area needed: 10.0 m
spacing: 0.5 m
grow time (non perennials): None days
growing difficulty:
Deciduous / Evergreen: Deciduous
Seed Temp (Opt/Min/Max): 20ยฐC / 5ยฐC / 30ยฐC
Plant Temp (Opt/Min/Max): 20ยฐC / 10ยฐC / 40ยฐC
water demands: Low
humidity:
light demands: Low
root type: Shallow
frost tender:
hardness:โโโโโโโโโโ(2/10)
first harvest: 0 years
life span: None years
succession:
growth rate:
max height: None m
max width: None m
soil preference:
pH preference:
flower type:
growth details: Patient dock is a very easy plant to grow, and it will succeed in almost any soil. It prefers a moist soil but once established it will tolerate drought conditions. The plant is capable of regenerating from very small pieces of rootstock, and it can be difficult to eradicate once it is established in a garden. It is best not to allow the plant to flower and set seed if you wish to avoid it becoming a weed.
Potential Disturbances: Rumex patientia encounters pressures from aphids, slugs, and snails. Other challenges include carrot root fly, carrot weevil, cabbage root fly, and black bean aphid. Celery fly, cabbage whitefly, and earwigs can also be problematic.
Growth Timeline
Recipes Using This Plant
Animals Interacting With This Plant
Permanent Link
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