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Mountain Sorrel Wikimedia Commons
Polygonaceae

Mountain Sorrel

Oxyria digyna

Survival and adaptability.

Family
Polygonaceae
Genus
Oxyria
Native to
Arctic and alpine regions worldwide
Bloom season
Summer
Type
herbaceous
Height
4-12 in
Sunlight
full sun to partial shade
Soil
moist, rocky, acidic
Water
moderate to high
Hardiness
1-6
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Mountain sorrel is one of the most widespread Arctic plants, found on every continent in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Inuit peoples have eaten the tart, vitamin C-rich leaves for millennia to prevent scurvy during long winters.
  • The kidney-shaped leaves have a pleasantly sour flavor due to oxalic acid, similar to garden sorrel.
  • It can grow and flower in just 6 to 8 weeks, adapted to the extremely short Arctic growing season.
  • Seeds can remain viable in frozen soil for decades, germinating when conditions finally become favorable.

Color meanings

0

endurance

1

adaptability

2

arctic spirit

Uses

  • edible greens
  • traditional Arctic food
  • alpine gardens
  • nutritional supplement