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Herb Full Sun to Partial Shade Regular water

Sorrel

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Tangy, lemony perennial green. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -15°C, sorrel performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 10°C and 22°C. It needs full sun to partial shade and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist — leaves are ready for picking in about 40-60 days. An aromatic addition to any garden, it dries and freezes well for year-round use in the kitchen.

Harvest 40-60 days
Temp Range -15°C — 28°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Sorrel

Sorrel takes 40-60 days to harvest. It grows best in 10–22°C with full sun to partial shade and regular watering. Sorrel is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -15°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Sorrel in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
40-60 days

Temperature Range

10-22°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 10–22°C Tolerates: -15–28°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Perennial that returns yearly. Remove flower stalks to prolong leaf harvest. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -15°C to 28°C
  • Optimal growing: 10°C to 22°C
  • Harvest in 40-60 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Sorrel is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and French sorrel (R. scutatus) are hardy perennial greens that are among the easiest herbs to grow, persisting for decades with minimal care. They thrive in a wide range of soils at pH 5.5–7.0, from poor sandy ground to moderately fertile loam — overly rich, high-nitrogen soil produces very large but excessively bitter, oxalic-flavored leaves. Plant in full sun to partial shade; French sorrel is more shade-tolerant and somewhat milder in flavor. Sow seeds directly in spring or start indoors 6 weeks before last frost, transplanting 30 cm apart. Established clumps spread readily by seed and runners and should be divided every 3–4 years in spring to maintain vigor. Water moderately; sorrel tolerates both drought and boggy conditions better than most herbs. Remove flower stalks immediately as they emerge — leaving them to bloom dramatically reduces leaf production and quality. The lemony, oxalic flavor is most pleasant in young, tender leaves; older leaves become more bitter.

Common Pests & Problems

Sorrel is troubled by very few pests or diseases due to its oxalic acid content. Dock beetle larvae (Gastrophysa viridula) feed specifically on sorrel and dock leaves, skeletonizing them with small holes; handpick the metallic green adult beetles and their yellow egg clusters from undersides of leaves. Slugs and snails eat young sorrel seedlings in damp conditions; use iron phosphate bait around new plantings. Sorrel may develop rust (Puccinia phragmitis) — orange pustules on leaf undersides — in humid conditions; remove affected leaves and avoid wetting foliage. Tip: moderate the flavor by blanching leaves briefly in water before use, or choose French sorrel (R. scutatus) which has a milder, more nuanced lemon flavor than garden sorrel.

Harvest & Storage

Begin harvesting sorrel leaves when plants are well-established — from early spring through fall, with the best quality young leaves available from April through June before summer heat toughens them. Pick leaves by snipping at the stem base, choosing the youngest, smallest leaves for the most delicate flavor. Leave the growing crown intact. Harvest little and often rather than stripping the plant. Fresh sorrel wilts quickly; use within 1–2 days of harvest for best quality. Store briefly in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator. Sorrel does not dry or freeze well (it turns to an unpleasant slime) — use fresh or blended into soups and sauces immediately.

Popular Varieties

"Belleville" is the classic large-leaved French market sorrel, producing big, arrow-shaped, mildly tart leaves of good quality and productivity. "Blonde de Lyon" is a pale-leaved, milder-flavored French heirloom that is particularly good for cooking into cream soups and sauces without overwhelming acidity. "Profusion" is a cultivated form selected for delayed bolting, allowing a longer leaf harvest season than standard varieties. Buckler-leaf sorrel (Rumex scutatus "Silver Shield") has small, shield-shaped leaves with a distinctive silver overlay, milder flavor than garden sorrel, and excellent drought tolerance — a sophisticated culinary herb for fine dining.

Where to Grow Sorrel

Sorrel can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
Amsterdam, NL medium
Ankara, TR medium
Antalya, TR medium
Athens, GR medium
Barcelona, ES medium
Bari, IT medium
Belgrade, RS medium
Bergen, NO medium
Berlin, DE medium
Bilbao, ES medium
Bologna, IT medium
Bordeaux, FR medium
Bratislava, SK medium
Brussels, BE medium
Bucharest, RO medium
Budapest, HU medium
Catania, IT medium
Cologne, DE medium
Copenhagen, DK medium
Corfu, GR medium
Cork, IE medium
Dublin, IE medium
Dubrovnik, HR medium
Edinburgh, GB medium
Florence, IT medium
Frankfurt, DE medium
Gdansk, PL medium
Genoa, IT medium
Glasgow, GB medium
Gothenburg, SE medium
Hamburg, DE medium
Helsinki, FI medium
Heraklion, GR medium
Istanbul, TR medium
Izmir, TR medium
Krakow, PL medium
Kyiv, UA medium
Limassol, CY medium
Lisbon, PT medium
Ljubljana, SI medium
London, GB medium
Lyon, FR medium
Madrid, ES medium
Malaga, ES medium
Marseille, FR medium
Milan, IT medium
Munich, DE medium
Naples, IT medium
Nice, FR medium
Nicosia, CY medium
Oslo, NO medium
Palermo, IT medium
Paris, FR medium
Porto, PT medium
Poznan, PL medium
Prague, CZ medium
Reykjavik, IS medium
Riga, LV medium
Rome, IT medium
Seville, ES medium
Sofia, BG medium
Split, HR medium
Stockholm, SE medium
Strasbourg, FR medium
Stuttgart, DE medium
Tallinn, EE medium
Thessaloniki, GR medium
Tirana, AL medium
Toulouse, FR medium
Turin, IT medium
Turku, FI medium
Valencia, ES medium
Valletta, MT medium
Verona, IT medium
Vienna, AT medium
Vilnius, LT medium
Warsaw, PL medium
Zagreb, HR medium
Zurich, CH medium

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
Almaty, KZ medium
Bali, ID medium
Bandung, ID medium
Bangalore, IN medium
Bangkok, TH medium
Beijing, CN medium
Busan, KR medium
Cebu, PH medium
Chandigarh, IN medium
Chengdu, CN medium
Chennai, IN medium
Chiang Mai, TH medium
Chittagong, BD medium
Chongqing, CN medium
Coimbatore, IN medium
Colombo, LK medium
Da Nang, VN medium
Dalian, CN medium
Davao, PH medium
Delhi, IN medium
Dhaka, BD medium
Dharan, NP medium
Fukuoka, JP medium
Galle, LK medium
Guangzhou, CN medium
Hangzhou, CN medium
Hanoi, VN medium
Harbin, CN medium
Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
Hong Kong, HK medium
Hyderabad, IN medium
Incheon, KR medium
Indore, IN medium
Islamabad, PK medium
Jaipur, IN medium
Jakarta, ID medium
Jeju, KR medium
Johor Bahru, MY medium
Karachi, PK medium
Kathmandu, NP medium
Kochi, IN medium
Kolkata, IN medium
Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
Kunming, CN medium
Kyoto, JP medium
Lahore, PK medium
Lucknow, IN medium
Manila, PH medium
Mumbai, IN medium
Nagoya, JP medium
Nanjing, CN medium
Nha Trang, VN medium
Okinawa, JP medium
Osaka, JP medium
Pattaya, TH medium
Penang, MY medium
Phnom Penh, KH medium
Pune, IN medium
Sapporo, JP medium
Seoul, KR medium
Shanghai, CN medium
Shenzhen, CN medium
Siem Reap, KH medium
Singapore, SG medium
Surabaya, ID medium
Surat, IN medium
Taipei, TW medium
Tashkent, UZ medium
Tbilisi, GE medium
Tokyo, JP medium
Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
Varanasi, IN medium
Vientiane, LA medium
Visakhapatnam, IN medium
Wuhan, CN medium
Xi'an, CN medium
Xiamen, CN medium
Yangon, MM medium

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
Anchorage, US medium
Atlanta, US medium
Austin, US medium
Baltimore, US medium
Baton Rouge, US medium
Boise, US medium
Boston, US medium
Bridgetown, BB medium
Buffalo, US medium
Calgary, CA medium
Cancun, MX medium
Charleston, US medium
Charlotte, US medium
Chattanooga, US medium
Chicago, US medium
Denver, US medium
Des Moines, US medium
Detroit, US medium
Edmonton, CA medium
El Paso, US medium
Fargo, US medium
Fresno, US medium
Guadalajara, MX medium
Halifax, CA medium
Hartford, US medium
Havana, CU medium
Honolulu, US medium
Houston, US medium
Jacksonville, US medium
Kansas City, US medium
Kingston, JM medium
Knoxville, US medium
Las Vegas, US medium
Little Rock, US medium
Los Angeles, US medium
Louisville, US medium
Lubbock, US medium
Madison, US medium
Memphis, US medium
Mexico City, MX medium
Miami, US medium
Milwaukee, US medium
Minneapolis, US medium
Monterrey, MX medium
Montreal, CA medium
Nashville, US medium
New Orleans, US medium
New York, US medium
Oaxaca, MX medium
Oklahoma City, US medium
Omaha, US medium
Ottawa, CA medium
Panama City, PA medium
Phoenix, US medium
Pittsburgh, US medium
Portland, US medium
Puebla, MX medium
Quebec City, CA medium
Raleigh, US medium
Richmond, US medium
Sacramento, US medium
Salt Lake City, US medium
San Diego, US medium
San Francisco, US medium
San Jose, CR medium
Santo Domingo, DO medium
Saskatoon, CA medium
Savannah, US medium
Seattle, US medium
Spokane, US medium
St. Louis, US medium
Tampa, US medium
Toronto, CA medium
Tucson, US medium
Vancouver, CA medium
Victoria, CA medium
Winnipeg, CA medium

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
Accra, GH medium
Addis Ababa, ET medium
Algiers, DZ medium
Antananarivo, MG medium
Arusha, TZ medium
Bamako, ML medium
Bloemfontein, ZA medium
Cairo, EG medium
Cape Town, ZA medium
Casablanca, MA medium
Dakar, SN medium
Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
Douala, CM medium
Durban, ZA medium
Entebbe, UG medium
Fez, MA medium
Freetown, SL medium
Harare, ZW medium
Johannesburg, ZA medium
Kampala, UG medium
Kigali, RW medium
Kinshasa, CD medium
Lagos, NG medium
Libreville, GA medium
Lilongwe, MW medium
Lome, TG medium
Luanda, AO medium
Lusaka, ZM medium
Maputo, MZ medium
Marrakech, MA medium
Mombasa, KE medium
Nairobi, KE medium
Ouagadougou, BF medium
Port Louis, MU medium
Pretoria, ZA medium
Tunis, TN medium
Windhoek, NA medium
Zanzibar, TZ medium

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
Asuncion, PY medium
Barranquilla, CO medium
Belem, BR medium
Bogota, CO medium
Brasilia, BR medium
Buenos Aires, AR medium
Cali, CO medium
Campinas, BR medium
Caracas, VE medium
Cartagena, CO medium
Concepcion, CL medium
Cordoba, AR medium
Curitiba, BR medium
Cusco, PE medium
Fortaleza, BR medium
Georgetown, GY medium
Goiania, BR medium
Guayaquil, EC medium
La Paz, BO medium
Lima, PE medium
Manaus, BR medium
Medellin, CO medium
Mendoza, AR medium
Montevideo, UY medium
Paramaribo, SR medium
Port of Spain, TT medium
Porto Alegre, BR medium
Quito, EC medium
Recife, BR medium
Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
Rosario, AR medium
Salvador, BR medium
Santa Cruz, BO medium
Santiago, CL medium
Sao Paulo, BR medium
Sucre, BO medium
Trujillo, PE medium
Valparaiso, CL medium

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
Alice Springs, AU medium
Auckland, NZ medium
Brisbane, AU medium
Cairns, AU medium
Canberra, AU medium
Christchurch, NZ medium
Darwin, AU medium
Dunedin, NZ medium
Gold Coast, AU medium
Hamilton, NZ medium
Hobart, AU medium
Melbourne, AU medium
Noumea, NC medium
Perth, AU medium
Suva, FJ medium
Sydney, AU medium
Townsville, AU medium
Wellington, NZ medium

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
Amman, JO medium
Baghdad, IQ medium
Beirut, LB medium
Doha, QA medium
Dubai, AE medium
Erbil, IQ medium
Jeddah, SA medium
Kuwait City, KW medium
Manama, BH medium
Muscat, OM medium
Riyadh, SA medium
Sana'a, YE medium
Tabriz, IR medium
Tehran, IR medium
Tel Aviv, IL medium

When should I plant sorrel in my city?

The best time to plant sorrel depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 10°C and 22°C. Since sorrel is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow sorrel in winter?

Yes, sorrel is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -15°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Sorrel Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Sorrel seeds and starter plants online.

People Also Search For

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Sorrel

When should I plant sorrel?

The best time to plant sorrel depends on your local climate. Sorrel grows best in temperatures between 10°C and 22°C (can tolerate -15°C to 28°C). Sorrel is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can sorrel grow in tropical climates?

Sorrel is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 10°C and 22°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does sorrel take to grow?

Sorrel typically takes 40-60 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun to partial shade and regular watering. Perennial that returns yearly. Remove flower stalks to prolong leaf harvest. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Sorrel

See the planting calendar for Sorrel in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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