Variety field guide
What to expect from Red Veined Sorrel
Red Veined Sorrel is a perennial red-veined 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
The garden sorrel painted by nature’s hand. ‘Red Veined Sorrel’ features bright green, arrow-shaped leaves threaded with striking crimson veins, combining ornamental beauty with tangy, lemon-like flavor. The young leaves bring color and brightness to salads, soups, and garnishes. The leaves are most tender when young, and the vivid coloring makes them a favorite for edible landscapes.
About Red Veined Sorrel
Red Veined Sorrel is a perennial selection of red-veined 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.
When growing Red Veined Sorrel, 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. Sorrel Seeds - Red Veined Sorrel belongs to a plant lineage long associated with Mediterranean and Old World garden agriculture. It was selected over generations for kitchen, market, ornamental, or herbal value and remains useful in modern home gardens. A European heirloom often grown as both herb and accent plant, ‘Red Veined Sorrel’ transforms the humble green into a living work of art-zesty, vivid, and full of life.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Rumex sanguineus L. |
|---|---|
| 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 Veined Sorrel 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: Open-pollinated herb or leafy crop. 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 Veined Sorrel 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: Open-pollinated herb or leafy crop. Compatible plants of the same species may cross to varying degrees through insects or wind. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Red Veined Sorrel 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 Veined Sorrel
When is Red Veined Sorrel 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? Open-pollinated herb or leafy crop. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity.
