Curly Dock Facts: Learn More About This Perennial Flowering Plant

Curly dock is a flowering perennial plant found in many parts of the world, even on roadsides; it has edible leaves and many medicinal properties.

Curly dock is often used as a medicinal herb and has many other benefits. It is also known for its nutritional value, making it a great addition to any diet.

Curly dock possesses the property of hardy plant that can thrive in various climates and soil types native to Europe and Western Asia. And it is also known by several other names, including yellow dock, curled dock, and sour dock. Read this article to learn curly dock's history, benefits, harvest, health, and nutritional value.

Overview Of Curly Dock Plant

Curly dock, known by its scientific name Rumex Crispus has been around for centuries, and early civilizations used it for various purposes. The plant was originally native to Europe but spread to other parts of the world. Now, it can be found in the temperate climate and grown worldwide.

Curly docks (Rumex) and other dock species known as Rumex SPP are from the Polygonaceae family (known as dock weed). There are about 200 species, including Rumex and Rumex SPP.

Curlys are annual, perennial herbs that later become a garden in summer with a flower that hosts various butterfly species. The plant leaves are crisped and curled up and down; the upper surface is usually dull, and leaves closer to roots are shiny.

The curly dock has long been used as an herbal remedy for various health concerns, including skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. The curly dock can also help with digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea as it has high fiber and iron content.

Curly dock is edible raw but tastes bitter unless appropriately cooked, so it's better to avoid eating straight off the plant if you are not bitter-toothed. In addition to being used medicinally throughout history, the curly dock was a popular ingredient used in cooking dishes from around native Europe especially dock seeds.

It remains still found on some menus today.

As mentioned earlier, curly docks have grown in almost all habitats, from waste areas and meadows to soil and forest edges. So, it became naturalized at all temperatures and had an invasive genre of plants in many areas. The plant is grown in North and South America, in various parts of Australia and New Zealand throughout the year.

Harvest And Preparation

The curly dock can be grown from seed or by dividing the root clumps to 5.5-9.4 in (14-24 cm). The flowering will begin early spring to shade on moist soil but can tolerate various soil types.

Being a hardy plant that can thrive in many climates, curly docks can be harvested in any growing season, but most flowering seasons are summer and spring. Habitat of these curly docks is in crop fields, roadsides, orchards, pastures, and wetlands. Their harvesting periods occur during summer and last an entire month.

The leaves of docks are long, narrow with wavy edges. They have basal leaves and stem leaves 12 in (30.48 cm) and 2.5 in (6.35 cm), long respectively. And by the early spring, docks will start bearing flowers, and there will be no wild greens.

The flower stalk usually grows up to 4 feet 11 inches (1.5 m). The stalk is where the flower and seeds grow in bunches.

On the stalk, you can find shiny, brown seeds, which are closed in the calyx of the flower. A single plant of the curly dock can produce about 60,000 seeds, and others can stay viable in the soil for over 80 years.

The roots of yellow docks are between 8-12 in (20-30 cm) long and 0.5 in (1.27 cm) thick. The leaves are approximately 6-10 in (15-25 cm) long used as herbal remedies.

Seedling curly docks vary in different colors, from green to red-tinged. The seed leaves of docks species are longer than wide with a rounded tip and wider leaf blade. Leaves can be egg or football-shaped with a tapered base and round tip.

During harvesting curly docks leaves, clip off the young leaves and stems for use in salads, smoothies, or other dishes. The roots can also be harvested and dried for later use.

It is a versatile vegetable used in soups, stews, salads, and more. Curled leaves will add sweetness to many dishes without adding sugar; make sure they're cooked before eating them raw.

To harvest dark brown to black curly docks seeds, leave them until spring. Leaves at all curly dock growth stages are edible; however, the most tender flavor of seeds and green leaves comes from a young age during spring. Therefore, the curly dock seeds and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked from a young age.

Curly dock leaves will be reduced up to 25% of their original volume when cooked, and the green color fades to dull green. Dock leaves and ground docks seed are excellent options for soups, egg dishes, stir-fries, cream cheese, and stews.

We have added two simple recipes, seed cracker and Mediterranean Curly Dock soup served with rice, to prepare with your children.

Start with Mediterranean dock soup. Start with Mediterranean dock soup, famous among ancient Greek people.

The preparation time for the soup is 15 minutes, and the cooking time is 20 minutes. The ingredients required are six or more washed and cleaned young dock leaves, kosher salt, four cups of chicken or vegetable stock, virgin olive oil, basmati rice, yellow onion, garlic, fresh oregano, and ground cumin.

To prepare the soup, begin with boiling dock leaves with Kosher salt (as per taste requirements) for a few seconds, set it aside in cold water, and squeeze water as much as possible. Simultaneously, toast the basmati rice in the oven for 350 F (177 C) until golden brown.

Now, cool down the rice and add it to a pot with a pinch of salt and a half cup of water; cook until tender.

After dock leaves and basmati rice is ready, chop the dock leaves in a cross-hatch pattern (no long pieces). Then add two tablespoons of virgin olive oil, one small yellow onion, and garlic chopped in the pan for 10 minutes in medium heat.

After the onion and garlic are ready, add four cups of chicken or vegetable stock, dock leaves, a pinch of cumin, and oregano; then add salt and pepper seasoning.

Now add rice and keep it in simmer for 10 minutes until flavors melt. Finally, stir the egg and serve in the soup bowl garnished with olive oil, pepper, and squish of fresh lemon juice (optional).

For the second recipe, 'Seed Cracker,' ingredients required are one cup of ground dock seeds, one cup of all-purpose flour (or any flour of your choice), one tablespoon sea salt, and water. Slowly mix the ground dock seeds, flour, and salt with water to prepare the dish.

Make it to a not sticky consistency, and transfer the batter into a pan greased with butter or oil, spread with little flour or seeds, as it helps take batter easily once baked.

The final step to make this seed cracker is to bake it in the oven for over 10-12 minutes at 375 F (191 C) until it looks crispy.

Medicinal Properties

Curly docks are known for their herbal use in households. It is mainly used to treat mild constipation and a wide range of skin problems. Although curly has a gentle, safe laxative, all parts are used for medicinal purposes, from leaves and stems to seeds, leaves, and roots.

Curly docks get their common name yellow dock after its yellow root, as it had a laxative compound, an excellent remedy for constipation. This yellow dock is also used for passing pains, excessive itching, respiratory conditions, especially when exposed to cold air.

The fresh roots of curly docks have several medicinal properties: mildly tonic, laxative, and depurative. So, they can be sold as a tonic to relieve diarrhea, constipation, and piles and cure bleeding in the lungs and chronic skin disease. Advanced research has also shown that curly roots and docks seed can block or retrain the inroads from cancer.

In western herbal medicines, curly docks are used to treat anemia. It is powdered and given in the form of a capsule.

Health Benefits

The curly dock has various benefits, including acting as a natural detoxifier, blood purifier, and anti-inflammatory agent. In addition, they are widely used to treat liver diseases, skin conditions, and gastrointestinal problems.

The primary reason for curly docks' nutritional and health benefits are their flavonoids and anthraquinone. Anthraquinones in curly docks stimulate the intestine's movements, known as regulating peristalsis in the brain. So, giving this as a herb can help relieve constipation. Flavonoids in curly docks plants have an antioxidant ability that protects cells and prevents age-related disease.

Even the leaves of the docks plant are myricetin and quercetin rich, powerful with anti-inflammatory properties. Myricetin in curly docks is 18 times higher than black tea, twice higher than broad beans and onions, and six times higher than red wine.

Curly dock is a beneficial plant that offers many health benefits when consumed regularly. Curly dock is high in fiber, which helps with digestion, constipation, and diarrhea. The plant is also a good source of vitamins A, C, and K and minerals like iron and potassium, and taste bitter or lemony taste.

The curly dock has anti-inflammatory properties that can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Additionally, the plant contains antioxidants that scavenge harmful toxins and free radicals from the body cells, preventing cell damage or mutation.

The curly dock can also help with weight loss by increasing metabolism and suppressing appetite; it's an excellent addition to any diet plan. Curly dock is edible raw but tastes bitter unless appropriately cooked, so avoid consuming it straight off the plant.

The curly dock can be used as a natural remedy for many different health concerns, including skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and digestive issues. The curly dock has been used throughout history to treat ailments due to its anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce inflammation throughout the body; it is also high in fiber for better digestion.

The external medicinal values of docks can treat rashes, itching, swelling, boil burns, animal or insect bites, and wounds.

Docks also have side effects, including nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and skin eruptions. So, its safe to be cautious before taking yellow docks.

No safe dosage of Curly's is used for treating pregnant or breastfeeding women and infants or children. Also, people with chronic gastrointestinal tract diseases and a history of kidney stones are not recommended to take yellow dock.

FAQs

Q: Is curly dock poisonous to dogs?

A: Curly dock is not poisonous to dogs or other animals. It can be used as a natural remedy for many ailments such as diarrhea, jaundice (yellow color of the skin and whites of eyes), sore throats, coughs, and colds.

Q: Do horses eat curly dock?

A: Curly dock is edible by horses and other animals, but they do not like it very much.

Q: Is curly dock the same as yellow dock?

A: Curly dock and yellow dock are two different plants, but they share similarities. Curly dock is a perennial flowering plant found in many parts of the world. It is a hardy plant that can thrive in several climates and soil types.

Q: What is the scientific name for the curly dock?

A: The scientific name for the curly dock is Rumex Crispus.

Q: Is curly dock good eating?

A: Yes, the curly dock can be eaten as a vegetable or raw in salads. It has a sweet taste and is high in vitamins A and C, making it great for improving immune function.

Q: Is curly dock invasive?

A: No, curly dock is not invasive. It can be beneficial in controlling unwanted vegetation in gardens and landscapes.