Rumex flexuosus Copper Sword

The Rumex flexuosus Copper Sword is an unusual variety of New Zealand sorrel, commonly known as Bronze Sorrel. This perennial plant forms a clump of about 40 cm (16in) composed of long leaves beautifully colored with copper bronze arranged in a somewhat disorderly manner. Very decorative, these leaves are also edible, like those of all sorrels grown in our vegetable gardens. Hardy and perennial, it is cultivated as a vegetable plant but also for balcony and garden ornamentation, or even in a wet rockery. In the kitchen, raw or cooked leaves will add a tangy note to your dishes. Plant it in spring or autumn and harvest as needed from March to October.

Bronze Sorrel is native to New Zealand and is hardy to approximately -15°C (5°F) (USDA zone 7). This plant belongs to the family Polygonaceae and naturally thrives in cool, humus-rich, and slightly acidic soil. In the sun, its foliage will be more colorful, but the soil should remain slightly moist at all times. Its long lanceolate leaves are bordered with rounded teeth and display beautiful brown to copper bronze hues. The plant flowers in June-July, with branched bronze-red floral stems adorned with tiny brown flowers. The slightly sour, slightly acidic flavor of the leaves is appreciated in cooking, and they can be prepared like spinach. They accompany meats and fish (especially salmon), soups, or omelettes. Cook the leaves in a stainless steel container because of their acidity. Its young and tender leaves are consumed raw in salads.

Bronze Sorrel can be grown in open ground or in a pot. Hardy, it remains in place for several years.

In ornamental gardens: Rumex Copper Sword pairs beautifully with yellow blooms: consider, for example, combining it with ligularia or Lysimachia nummularia.

Harvesting: Pick as needed, either when young or mature, from spring to frost. Harvest leaf by leaf, by hand or with a knife. If you want to extend the harvest into winter, protect the plants with tunnels or frames. Sorrel is a perennial plant that can remain in place for several years.

Storage: Sorrel leaves should be consumed immediately after harvest, as they do not keep well. However, they freeze very well after cooking.

Gardener's tip: To limit watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also reduces weeding.