perennial herb
French sorrel
A tart perennial green for sauces, soups, and salads.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a-9a
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- LoamClay
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Not rated No deer-resistance category is assigned yet; treat browsing risk as local and variable.
- Black walnut
- Not rated No black-walnut cue is assigned yet; verify placement if planting inside a walnut root zone.
- Planting depth
- Set the crown at the same level it grew in the nursery pot.
- Container min
- 1+ gal (good)
- Goals
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest & Use
- Window
- tangy leaves spring to fall
- Output
- 10-26 weeks of harvest
- First output
- 0-1 yrs
- Best for
- Vegetables & herbs
Timing: tangy leaves spring to fall. This profile tracks 10-26 weeks of harvest with a harvest or display window of 14-24 weeks where defensible.
Quick answers
Spacing, Yield, and Growing Answers
Direct planning answers for common grower searches, backed by the sourced profile data where available.
How far apart should you plant French sorrel?
Plant French sorrel at 1-3 ft apart. Adjust this starting point for trellises, hedges, rootstock, containers, pruning style, or local extension guidance.
How much does French sorrel produce?
French sorrel output is modeled as 10-26 weeks of harvest. Treat that as a planning range, because weather, soil, watering, pruning, pests, and local pressure can change the real result.
How long does French sorrel take to produce?
French sorrel usually reaches first useful harvest or display in 0-1 yrs under suitable conditions.
How do you grow French sorrel?
Grow French sorrel in USDA zones 3a-9a with full, partial light, loam, clay soil, and medium water. Use 1-3 ft apart for layout planning. Match the plant to drainage, heat, chill, and pest pressure before scaling up.
Can French sorrel grow in a container?
French sorrel can start with a container of about 1+ gal (good). Larger containers usually buffer heat and moisture swings better than the minimum.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Stefan.lefnaer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Full output
- 1-2 yrs
- Mature size
- 1-4 ft H x 1-4 ft W
- Spacing
- 1-3 ft apart
- Planting depth
- Set the crown at the same level it grew in the nursery pot.
- Container min
- 1+ gal (good)
- Productive life
- 3-10 yrs
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Reliability
- 5/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, No pound-yield source
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Soil test kit or lab mailer
Site prep / Before plantingCheck pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
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Plant labels
Planning / Planting dayTrack cultivar, planting date, and variety when comparing harvests or pollination partners.
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Organic mulch
Soil / After plantingHold soil moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots.
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Hand trowel
Tools / Planting dayPlant starts, herbs, flowers, bulbs, and smaller container plants at the right depth.
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Insect netting
Protection / At plantingExclude common chewing and flying pests from vulnerable vegetables, herbs, and young fruit plantings.
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Balanced garden fertilizer
Nutrition / During growthFeed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Set the crown at the same level it grew in the nursery pot.
- Container minimum: 1+ gal (good). Small herbs, leafy crops, and radishes work in 1+ gal pots or wider shallow planters.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam, clay soil, and medium water.
- Use 1-3 ft apart as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 1-4 ft H x 1-4 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "tangy leaves spring to fall" and 10-26 weeks of harvest as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Local drainage, pests, chill hours, wildlife pressure, and microclimates can change the result.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxMissouri Botanical Garden Plant FinderK-State Extension Master Gardener Handbook - Herbaceous PlantsUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing VegetablesIllinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers
Supplier search: Amazon. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.