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Pale Dock

Rumex altissimus

Found in bottomlands, swamps, marshes, roadsides, disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

52
Strong

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height
2–4 feet
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Soil moisture
Average to moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
June to August

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 14 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 4

Swamps

Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp
Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Freshwater marshes

Georgia pond and emergent wetland
Regional / representative. Shown: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia; representative pond ecosystem, a neighboring state.Georgia pond and emergent wetland, Robert 'Bob' Hynes, 1997. Public domain. Source record.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 123 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

41CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Rumex

  • Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
  • Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
  • Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Argyrogramma verrucaGolden Looper
  • Calothysanis amaturariaCross-Lined Wave
  • Chionodes discoocellellaEyeringed Chionodes
  • Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
Show all 41
  • Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
  • Dypterygia rozmaniAmerican Bird's-Wing
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
  • Hahncappsia mancalisCommon Hahncappsia
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Lacinipolia renigeraBristly Ground Cat, Bristly Cutworm Moth, Kidney Spotted "Mamestra"
  • Leuconycta lepidulaMarble-Green Jaspidia, Marble-Green Leuconycta
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Ochropleura implectaAmerican Flame-Shouldered Dart
  • Olethreutes fasciatanaBanded Olethreutes
  • Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
  • Orthonama obstipataThe Gem
  • Papaipema baptisiaeWild Indigo Borer, Indigo Stem Borer
  • Papaipema marginidensBrick-Red Borer
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Phlogophora irisOlive Angle Shades
  • Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
  • Pseudeustrotia carneolaPink-Barred Lithacodia, Pink-Barred Pseudeustrotia
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
  • Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
26BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Rumex

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Aythya affinisLesser Scaup
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
  • Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
  • Haemorhous mexicanusHouse Finch
  • Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
  • Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
Show all 26
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
  • Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
  • Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
  • Spinus psaltriaLesser Goldfinch
  • Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
  • Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
  • Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Polygonaceae
Flower color
Green

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Tall Dock

Conservation status

Alabama rankSNR
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources