Sheep Sorrel

Acetosa acetosella

Also listed as Rumex acetosella

Found in pastures, fields, roadsides, rock outcrops, grassy balds, gardens. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Severe harm

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 4–18 inches
Spread: 4–6 inches
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

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Do not plant. Listed invasive in Virginia.

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: March to September
Fruiting season: May to November

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Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 100 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 3

Rock outcrop on a mountain summit. Shown: Sassafras Mountain, on the North Carolina and South Carolina line, a neighboring state.Sassafras Mountain rock outcrop, Alan M. Cressler / U.S. Geological Survey, undated. Public domain. Source record. Faithful JPEG display decode of embedded JP2; no AI or color enhancement. Phone derivative resized proportionally.

Grassy mountain bald with shrub islands. Shown: Andrews Bald, Forney Ridge Trail, Swain County, North Carolina, a neighboring state.Andrews Bald, Forney Ridge Trail, July 2020, Andrea Walton / Great Smoky Mountains National Park, July 2020. Public domain. Source record.

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 Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 125 animals.

American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Purple Finch
Carpodacus purpureus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Birds. 3 shared habitats

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

50CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Rumex

Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
Anaplectoides prasinaGreen Arches Dart
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
Argyrogramma verrucaGolden Looper
Calothysanis amaturariaCross-Lined Wave
Chionodes discoocellellaEyeringed Chionodes

Show all 50

Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
Chrysoteuchia topiariusCranberry Girder, Subterranean Webworm, Topiary Grass-Veneer
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Dypterygia rozmaniAmerican Bird's-Wing
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped Cutworm
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
Lycaena hypophlaeasAmerican Copper
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
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
Trachea delicataDelicate Moth
Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist 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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Polygonaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–8b
Soil pH: Acidic
Flower color: Yellow or green
Fruit begins: May
Fruit ends: November

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “March to September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow or green” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Fruit begins · “May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “November” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “4–18 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Fire Effects Information System: Rumex acetosella differs)
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “4–6 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Field Sorrel; Rumex acetosella; dock

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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