Perennial Sorrel

[LexLucre]

I grew Sorrel last year for the first time and decided to keep it in the ground as a perennial rather than grow it anew from seed this spring

I'd read that it was hardy and would die back in winter but this is ridiculous - it seems to have grown all winter long and started sending up flower spikes in January!

I live in the south but we still had a few frosts. I did try and battle the flower spikes last year, perhaps I've messed up its cycle.

Is this peculiar behaviour or not? I was intrigued what the older leaves would taste like as it seems more common to grow it as an annual, but the delicious first sorrel omlette of the year puts an end to that.

[Jay-ell]

I've a row of sorrel that has kept on growing through winter as thgis winter has been quite mild.

sorrel can get bitter when it's flowering - it grows well from seeds, especially in places you don't want it o grow.

As far as I know it will still go on after flowering. I had a plant a few years ago which survived being trampled, hacked back and flowering and still came back strong.

There is a variety called Profusion whic doesn't flower so it can only be vegatatively propagated. This means you wont get the bitterness and countless self sown seedlings.

[hamamelis]

I was nibbling leaves from my two-year-old buckler leaf sorrel today; it's had a few leaves on all winter, but it's definitely putting out a lot more now.

Tastes great too, even when flowering it doesn't seem to get bitter. What kind are you growing? The bull's blood sorrel I also have seemed to die back much more (and doesn't taste nearly as good).

[LexLucre]

The Sutton's packet helpfully just says Sorrel, but some googling suggests it's Broad Leaf.

It flowered last summer, so I'm just surprised it's flowering again already

[bario1]

Never knew there were so many types of sorrel! I've got red veined and broad leaf, both indestructible (they are related to docks after all). Pulled up 80% of the red veined recently as it doesn't taste great, but looks pretty added to salads. Anyone have any cooking tips? Omelette sounds good, do you just use it like spinach?

[Jay-ell]

It goes well mixed in with spinach. I think that it's a bigger hit in eastern European and french/Benelux cuisine than in English food.

[LexLucre]

Never knew there were so many types of sorrel! I've got red veined and broad leaf, both indestructible (they are related to docks after all). Pulled up 80% of the red veined recently as it doesn't taste great, but looks pretty added to salads. Anyone have any cooking tips? Omelette sounds good, do you just use it like spinach?

I just shred it and add it to one side of the omlette, folding the other side over on top - wilts in no time. It has a lovely acidity with the eggs and is more interesting than spinach.

I think it's also traditional as a soup. I quite like this probably less traditional recipe with lentils: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.t...-whittingstall.

I'll track down some other uses as it's quite a vigorous plant and I under used it last year

[Jay-ell]

It is also used as a traditional green sauce, mainly for fish if I remember correctly.