SimplePlant

Polygonaceae

Common sorrel

Rumex acetosa L.

Family
Polygonaceae
Genus
Rumex

Pets and kids

  • CatsNot sure
  • DogsNot sure
  • KidsMildly toxic
Why

Cats: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Dogs: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Kids: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: soluble oxalates.

Signs: stomach upset, mouth pain, throat pain, skin rash.

Common sorrel: Wiesen-Sauerampfer ( Rumex acetosa ) am Kraichbach bei Hockenheim
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Is Common sorrel safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Common sorrel safe for cats?

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Is Common sorrel safe for dogs?

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Is Common sorrel safe for kids?

No. Our sources call Common sorrel mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: soluble oxalates. Signs: stomach upset, mouth pain, throat pain, skin rash.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Common names

By language (84)
Afrikaans
Veldsuring
Albanian
Lëpjeta
Arabic
حماض بستاني, الحماض الصغير, حماض, حماض أسفاناخي, رواند بري, سلق بري
arz
حميض
Asturian
Agrieta
azb
عادی اولیک
Azerbaijani
Turş əvəlik
ba
Ҡуҙғалаҡ
Basque
Mingarratz handi, Uztao handi
Belarusian
Шчаўе кіслае, Шчаўе праўдзівае, Кісляніца, Шчавей, Шчавель, Шчавель праўдзівы, Шчавух праўдзівы, Шчаўе
Bulgarian
Киселец
Cantonese
薞蕪
Catalan
Agrella
Central Kurdish
ترشۆکە
Chinese
酸模, 遏蓝菜, 酸模叶, 酸模（毛脉酸模）, 酸溜溜, 毛脉酸模
Croatian
Obična kiselica
csb
Kwasné zelé
Czech
Šťovík kyselý, Kyseláč luční
Danish
Almindelig Syre
Dutch
Veldzuring, Zurkel
English
Common sorrel, Garden sorrel, Sorrel
Esperanto
Okzalo
Estonian
Hapu oblikas, Hapuoblikas
Finnish
Niittysuolaheinä
French
Oseille commune, Oseille sauvage, Grande oseille, Oseille rouge
frr
Ruad jüd
Galician
Aceda, Herba acedeira
Georgian
Მჟაუნა
German
Wiesen-Sauerampfer, Wiesen-Sauer-Ampfer, Gartensauerampfer, Großer Sauer-Ampfer, Großer Sauerampfer, Sauerampfer, Sauerlump, Wiesensauerampfer
Greek
Λάπαθο, Λάπατο
Hebrew
חומעה מצויה
Hindi
खट्टा पालक
hsb
Kisały zdźer
Hungarian
Mezei sóska
Icelandic
Túnsúra
Indonesian
Sijungkot bayam
io
Oxalo
Irish
Samhadh, Samhadh bó
Italian
Acetosa, Erba brusca, Erba soleggiata
Japanese
スイバ, スカンボ, スカンポ, ソレル, 蓚
koi
Тшӧтшкӧр, Тшöтшкöр
Korean
수영
Kurdish
Tirşo, Kerika berxê, Sêxaşik, Tirsho
kw
Trenkan
Kyrgyz
Кызыл аткулак
Latvian
Pļavas skābene
Lithuanian
Valgomoji rūgštynė
Luxembourgish
Sauerampel, Saueramper
lzh
酸模
Macedonian
Киселец
Māori
Horera
Marathi
चुका
mwl
Azedones
Norwegian Bokmål
Engsyre
Norwegian Nynorsk
Engsyre
nv
Chaatʼíní
os
Хуырхæг, Тауæг тъаффæ, Тауæгтъаффæ
Persian
سورل، لوئیزیانا
Polish
Szczaw zwyczajny
Portuguese
Azeda, Azedões
Romanian
Măcriș
Russian
Щавель кислый, Щавель болотно-ключевой, Щавель луговой, Щавель обыкновенный
se
Juopmu, Gieddejuopmu, Suvrrarássi, Sáltesuoidni
Serbian
Кисељак, Киселица
Serbian (Latin)
Kiseljak
sgs
Rūgštīnė
Slovak
Štiav lúčny
Slovenian
Navadna kislica
smn
Sälttisyeini
sms
Säʹlttsueiʹnn
Spanish
Acedera común, Aceas, Aceda, Acedera, Acedera comestible, Acedera comun, Acedera con hoja de romaza, Acedera de prado
stq
Suurke
Swedish
Ängssyra, Lappsyra, Smal ängssyra, Vanlig ängssyra, Ängsyra
Tajik
Туршак
Tamil
புளியாரைக் கீரை
Thai
ซอร์เรล
Ukrainian
Шавель кислий, Щавель звичайний
Urdu
ہوبابل
vec
Spanavin
vep
Sol'hein
Vietnamese
Chút chít
Welsh
Suran y cŵn, Dail surion bach, Suran arfor
wuu
酸模
zza
Amênvaş

Synonyms

  • Acetosa agrestis Raf.
  • Acetosa amplexicaulis Raf.
  • Acetosa angustata Raf.
  • Acetosa bidentula Raf.
  • Acetosa fontanopaludosa (Kalela) Holub
  • Acetosa hastifolia Schur
  • Acetosa hastulata Raf.
  • Acetosa magna Gilib.
  • Acetosa officinalis Gueldenst. ex Ledeb.
  • Acetosa olitoria Raf.
  • Acetosa pratensis Garsault
  • Acetosa pratensis Mill.
  • Acetosa pratensis subsp. fontanopaludosa (Kalela) Tzvelev
  • Acetosa subalpina Schur
  • Rumex acetosa subsp. acetosa
  • Rumex acetosa subsp. biformis (Lange) Valdés Berm. & Castrov.
  • Rumex acetosa subsp. fontanopaludosus (Kalela) Hyl.
  • Rumex acetosa var. fontanopaludosus (Kalela) Hyl.
  • Rumex biformis Lange
  • Rumex fontanopaludosus Kalela

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Alaska: introduced, Alaska: native, Alaska: native, Canada: introduced, Canada: native, Greenland: introduced, Greenland: native, Lower 48 states: introduced, Lower 48 states: native, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

More in Rumex

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.