Rumex crispus: Country Or Region Of Origin
Africa, Eurasia
Plant Profile: Rumex crispus
Taxonomy: Rumex crispusNames
Curled Dock, Curly Dock, Yellow Dock
Phonetic Spelling:ROO-meks KRISP-us
Genus:Rumex
Species:crispus
Family:Polygonaceae
Curly dock is a resilient perennial weed belonging to the buckwheat family. It thrives in sunny locations and can adapt to a range of moisture levels, from wet to dry, while also being compatible with various soil types. This plant is capable of enduring drought, brief periods of flooding, and even occasional mowing. Remarkably, its seeds can remain viable for as long as 50 years.
Tags
#perennial weed
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
Similar Plants
Rumex crispus Feature Summary
Attributes
Africa, Eurasia
Perennial
Fruit
Each flower becomes a dry capsule with one seed. Seeds are dark brown and 3-angled, tapering at their tips.
Capsule
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
The inflorescent is a panicle of racemes with whorls of flowers ½–1½' long. Individual flowers are 1/8 inch long, have no petals and are yellowish-green three-winged sepals that turn brown at maturity. They are wind-pollinated.
Gold/Yellow
Brown/Copper
Green
Raceme
Panicle
Summer
Colored Sepals
Leaves
Rosette of basal leaves about 1 foot across. Stem leaves are 6 inches long and 1 inch across, alternate and oblong-lanceolate. Basal leaves are similar but larger. The leaves have very wavy margins.
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate
Rosulate
Oblong
Lanceolate
Undulate
> 6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
The flower stem is hairless and ribbed.
Green
Round
Straight
Poisonous to Humans
Kidney failure (rare in dogs/cats), tremors, salivation.
Soluble calcium oxalates
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Weed
Deciduous
Erect
Medium
High
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Occasional Flooding
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Drought
Wet Soil
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Weedy
Rumex crispus Image Gallery
Rumex crispus Attributes
Rumex crispus: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Rumex crispus: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Rumex crispus Fruit
Rumex crispus: Fruit Description
Each flower becomes a dry capsule with one seed. Seeds are dark brown and 3-angled, tapering at their tips.
Rumex crispus: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Rumex crispus: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Rumex crispus: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Rumex crispus Flowers
Rumex crispus: Flower Description
The inflorescent is a panicle of racemes with whorls of flowers ½–1½' long. Individual flowers are 1/8 inch long, have no petals and are yellowish-green three-winged sepals that turn brown at maturity. They are wind-pollinated.
Rumex crispus: Flower Color
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Green
Rumex crispus: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Rumex crispus: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rumex crispus: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Rumex crispus Leaves
Rumex crispus: Leaf Description
Rosette of basal leaves about 1 foot across. Stem leaves are 6 inches long and 1 inch across, alternate and oblong-lanceolate. Basal leaves are similar but larger. The leaves have very wavy margins.
Rumex crispus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Rumex crispus: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Rumex crispus: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Rumex crispus: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Rumex crispus: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Rumex crispus: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Rumex crispus: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Rumex crispus: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Rumex crispus Stem
Rumex crispus: Stem Description
The flower stem is hairless and ribbed.
Rumex crispus: Stem Color
Green
Rumex crispus: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Rumex crispus: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Rumex crispus: Stem Form
Straight
Zig Zags
Rumex crispus Poisonous to Humans
Rumex crispus: Poison Symptoms
Kidney failure (rare in dogs/cats), tremors, salivation.
Rumex crispus: Poison Toxic Principle
Soluble calcium oxalates
Rumex crispus: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Rumex crispus: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Rumex crispus Whole Plant Traits
Rumex crispus: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Rumex crispus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Rumex crispus: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Rumex crispus: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Rumex crispus: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Rumex crispus Cultural Conditions
Rumex crispus: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Rumex crispus: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Rumex crispus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Rumex crispus: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Rumex crispus Landscape
Rumex crispus: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Rumex crispus: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
