Variety field guide
What to expect from Red Apache Sorrel
Red Apache is a perennial red sorrel selection grown for perennial or repeat-cut herb gardens, culinary leaves, flowers, and seed saving where appropriate.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Its vigorous growth habit ensures a bountiful harvest, making it an excellent choice for both culinary and ornamental purposes. The young leaves are tender and ideal for fresh consumption, while the mature leaves can be cooked to mellow their sharpness, offering versatility in the kitchen. Its robust nature and striking foliage make it not only a culinary delight but also an attractive addition to any garden landscape, providing both beauty and utility throughout the growing season.
About Red Apache
Red Apache is a perennial selection of red sorrel, with a rosette habit and an expected height or spread of 13–18 in. It is best suited to perennial or repeat-cut herb gardens, culinary leaves, flowers, and seed saving where appropriate. Notable traits include red coloring; harvest clean leaves or tender stems before decline; reserve representative plants for flowering or division. The commercial name and current species assignment need confirmation; culture-name wording should not be treated as provenance.
When growing Red Apache, judge the whole planting for trueness to type instead of selecting conclusions from one unusually large or early plant.
History and provenance
This herb has been selected in regional foodways for aroma, acidity, sweetness, color, or leaf use. Cultural context is retained where it is well established, but a commercial name alone does not prove a breeder, community, or accession history for the packet now being sold. The commercial name and current species assignment need confirmation; culture-name wording should not be treated as provenance. The exact identity or lineage of this seed lot should be confirmed from supplier records before making a stronger claim.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Rumex spp. (Red Apache seed lot) |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Maturity | 50-59 Days |
| Germination | 10-21 Days at 65–80 °F |
| Seed depth | 1/8 in |
| Plant height / spread | 13–18 in |
| Growth habit | Rosette |
| Spacing | 12 in between plants; 24 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.5–7.0 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Red Apache from seed
Sow 1/8 in deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist. Expect emergence in 10-21 Days when the seed-zone temperature is near 65–80 °F. Germination preparation: Use a fine, evenly moist seed-starting mix or prepared seedbed. Light requirement: Light aids germination; barely cover. Soaking: None required. Stratification: None required. Scarification: None required.
Planting and care
Plant during spring and provide full sun. Space plants 12 in apart with 24 in between rows. Use loamy with a pH near 6.5–7.0, and follow a moderate watering plan. Support requirement: No-Support. Frost response: Hardy. Large permanent container possible, but in-ground culture usually supports longer life
Harvest and use
Approximately 50-59 Days, from sowing to the first established harvest or bloom. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. Harvest: Harvest clean leaves or tender stems before decline; reserve representative plants for flowering or division. Uses: Perennial or repeat-cut herb gardens, culinary leaves, flowers, and seed saving where appropriate. Flavor: aromatic or tangy flavor specific to the named herb. Seed saving: Identity-limited seed lot. Best uses include perennial or repeat-cut herb gardens, culinary leaves, flowers, and seed saving where appropriate. Flavor and eating quality: aromatic or tangy flavor specific to the named herb.
Saving seed
Select several healthy, true-to-type Red Apache plants that match the expected rosette habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Identity-limited seed lot. The current commercial name does not establish one verified species or uniform seed lineage. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Red Apache is a perennial. Seed production may require overwintering, vernalization, or more than one growing season, depending on climate and crop biology. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
Common problems
Common concerns: Damping-off, aphids, slugs, caterpillars, leaf spots, root rots, and stress-related bolting or poor establishment. Management: Start with clean seed and mix, match temperature to the crop, avoid overwatering, provide airflow, scout regularly, and rotate families. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions - Red Apache
When is Red Apache ready? Use 50-59 Days. Approximately 50-59 Days, from sowing to the first established harvest or bloom. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date.
How long does germination take? Expect 10-21 Days at about 65–80 °F. Cooler, hotter, crusted, saturated, or dry seedbeds can slow emergence.
How large does it grow? Expect about 13–18 in with a rosette habit. Space plants 12 in apart and rows 24 in apart. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container? Large permanent container possible, but in-ground culture usually supports longer life Use a container with drainage and enough volume to maintain the listed spacing and steady moisture.
Can I save seed? Identity-limited seed lot. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity.
