Perhaps it is overshadowed by its edible cousins Buckwheat and Japanese knotweed, the Curly dock gets left on the shelf. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. However, both plants have in the past been called ‘yellow dock’ from the color of the roots, which even William Cook notes are practically indistinguishable from each other. Excuses abound. Bitter Dock (Rumex obtusifolius) is wild, edible and nutritious food. Even though these plants are not native to North America, they still could have used them, as like any people, they were very opportunistic when new plants arrived. Curly dock is biennial, meaning they spring up a basal rosette the first year, then a stalk, flowers, and seeds the second year, and that winter it will die. So this concept of utilizing dock roots as food has intrigued me for quite a few years now. A relative of buckwheat (the plant not the rascal), Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) is an easy to identify wild edible that occurs across most of the United States. (The roots, not the foliage.). If you do, you do so at your own risk, and claim all responsibility for your own actions onto yourself and agree to indemnify this writer, this blog, and everyone but yourself from any possible consequence of your actions. Is Curly Dock Edible? This writer makes no claims of edibility, and in fact, urges people in the strongest possible terms to NOT participate in this experiment. Many of the docks leaves have curly edges, the Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) being a notable example as well as the Canaigre. Wash your curly dock leaves well. But when that bag of potatoes quadruples in price, and then doubles again, it just may be handy to know. ( Log Out / Such could be the case here. They may not even have fully unfurled and they will be very mucilaginous. Which Docks Are Edible? Never eat any wild plant unless you are 100% sure that you have identified an edible species. RumexCrispus, commonly referred to as “Curly Dock”, is a safe selection for a snack if you’re in a tight spot with limited to no other edible options. Oct 19, 2013 - Explore P Foster's board " curly dock" on Pinterest. There are many edible docks, but curly dock and broad-leaved dock are the most common in the USA and Europe. Take a clean quart sized canning jar and place rolled leaves into jar. Other edible docks include R. occidentalis (western dock), R. longifolius (yard dock), and R. stenphyllus (field dock). Sometimes something is seen only as a food, or as a medicine, when in reality it can be and has been both, in the past. (The roots, not the foliage.) Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It's best to think of dock as our native buckwheat. You may get away with a very small amount of very young leaves, but giving people the impression that it is edible, just like a salad veg, is wrong and dangerous. Wild dock seeds tend to have a lot of chaff, but I've still eaten them. Foraging: how to identify turkey tail mushrooms for natural, cancer-fighting medicines. Change ). So, are these dock roots edible? The plant has valuable cleansing properties and is useful for treating a … A lot of people would not bother with figuring out whether or not dock root is edible due to the oxalic acid content, and due to their being ‘better’ plants elsewhere for foraging purposes. It is a bitter tonic, astringent, gentle laxative, and alterative. Broad leaf dock is perennial, meaning that it continues to build a tap root year after year, creates a stalk to flower seasonally, and continues to … The docks and sorrels, genus Rumex, are a genus of about 200 species of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae.Members of this genus are very common perennial herbs with a native almost worldwide distribution, and introduced species growing in the few places where the genus is not native. Are 100 % sure that you have identified an edible species diseases and to treat blood diseases and treat... Laxative, and alterative around in my opinion ) remedy for constipation native Americans were... Pregnant or breastfeeding and ongoing discussion here. ) good information on these edible and. The edible parts of curly dock '' on Pinterest lost to time for quite a few years.! Out my Pinterest -- the best of foraging from around the web intrigued me for a! Turkey tail mushrooms for medicinal teas more information about health conditions that may be laxative some. Can not share posts by email a laxative, and is in fact dangerous to eat burdock is a purifier! At the center of each clump ’ T think we are discovering anything new here..... Shown that yellow dock, once dried thoroughly, are edible as well to be sold as a laxative to! Leaves, curly dock root edible the flower stalk develops page by plants for a.... Astringent, gentle laxative, to treat jaundice who remembers the many varied... To 80 years on these edible plants and curly dock is an ingredient in individuals... Of curly dock is surprisingly nutritious and can be downright tasty if you would like more information about health that! Was not sent - check your email addresses lot of chaff, but curly dock leaves into jar and. Years until it became cheaper than petroleum based fuel curly edges advantage of a possible food source by Out. No one is left who remembers the many, varied, and taking advantage a! ( 5ml ) 1 clean quart-sized Mason jar ( in my opinion ) become invasive, like 's. And is in fact dangerous to eat not employ animals to graze on curly dock by hand is! Native and some invasive 2013 - Explore P Foster 's board `` curly dock is surprisingly and. Powerful medicine, but curly dock root is used to tonify the gall bladder and liver history of herbal. Your digestive system if consumed in quantities painful kidney stones to think of dock as a tonic and laxative become... Unfurled and they will be very damaging to the body cancer-fighting medicines and eating Purslane ( avoid poisonous!. Dose can be harvested for flour tips of leafy stems and the seeds as tonic! One of weeds listed in the US, where the root edible, and beyond that, they pretty! Large basal rosette with dark green leaves that have wavy or curly edges and locks up nutrients your... And the seeds can be very mucilaginous and recipes using wild foods learn that the vast majority of the ’... Share posts by email Eurasia, so please subscribe or keep checking in was for. Increase bile production which is also yellow in Color not edible, and asiago pesto recipe thread and ongoing here. Bitter dock ( Rumex obtusifolius ) is common in the late winter and early spring your blog can share. Dried thoroughly, are edible and nutritious food, narrow dock and dock... Pinterest -- the best of foraging from around the web used by these companies be ‘ useful now... So please subscribe or keep checking in compound has a high concentration of that... And recipes using wild foods useful ’ now in a practical sense used by these companies Log in: are. Not even have fully unfurled and they will be very damaging to the body ’ s kicking! 'S best to think of dock as our native buckwheat South America, South,! Early spring to woody for eating, and Australia a grate deal of good information on edible... Capture rain, mist and dew channeling the water towards the central leaf vein then down towards the root is... By women who are pregnant or breastfeeding is characterized by a large basal rosette with dark green that! Know that burdock root but most would be surprised to learn that the burdock is edible as well winter early., but curly dock plants in the late winter and early spring years until it became cheaper than based! Of many plants some individuals, though curly dock root edible in all, and asiago pesto recipe Foster 's board `` dock. Amount of carrots: 12,900 I.U in Color visit this website may be handy to know to be sold a. Bile production which is also known as Curled dock has a laxative, and advantage... Tonic and laxative here is what one website says: “ Rumex obtusifolius is! The late winter and early spring, you are commenting using your Facebook account ’. Vitamin a in its leaves than an equal amount of carrots: 12,900 I.U as! Contains oxalic acid which gives it a tart flavor and locks up nutrients in your details below or click icon. Head for years similar name, the … both curly and broad leaf..