Curly Dock
Rumex crispus
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Cape Verde, China, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krym, Kuril Is., Labrador, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Polygonaceae
- Genus:
- Rumex
- Species:
- Rumex crispus
- USDA Symbol:
- RUCR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- green
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Argyrogramma verruca, Atlantic arches (Lacanobia atlantica), bicolored sallow (Sunira bicolorago), Brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea), Calothysanis amaturaria, Chionodes ochreostrigella, clover cutworm (Agrotis gladiaria), common gray (Anavitrinella pampinaria), dingy cutworm (Feltia jaculifera), European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), Eversmann's rustic (Actebia fennica), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), kidney-spotted minor (Lacinipolia renigera), lesser yellow underwing (Noctua comes), Pale-banded Dart (Agnorisma badinodis), Pseudeustrotia carneola, stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta), American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Chalceria rubida, Epidemia helloides, Gaeides xanthoides, Hyllolycaena hyllus
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea) Butterflies:Bronze Copper (Tharsalea hyllus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- brown
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from deep taproot following fire or mowing; difficult to eradicate once established.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in disturbed soils and wetlands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in light; no pretreatment necessary for fresh seed but cold stratification improves germination of older seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI