Image to followAI-generated illustrationRumex acetosella
Rumex acetosella
FamilyGenus: Rumexnative in Germany
🌿
9
Species
interact
🔗
9
Interactions
documented
🐛
5
Host relationships
Species
About this species
A small, native perennial herb of dry, sunny, nutrient-poor places, flowering from May to August.
Ecological network
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PollinationLarval hostFlower visit
Ecological significance
As a native component of open, nutrient-poor grassland and heath communities in Great Britain, the plant provides a small resource of nectar and pollen for insects. It is adapted to low-disturbance environments and does not exhibit invasive tendencies in its home range.
Annual cycle
Flowering occurs mainly from May to August, with seed set in late summer. Above-ground herbaceous growth dies back in autumn and re-sprouts in spring.
Safety note
No toxicity or safety risks are documented for this species.
Standort & Merkmale
Light
Sonne
Moisture
Trocken
Soil
Schwachzehrer (Magerer Boden)
Flowering period
Mai – Aug
Soil reaction
Sauer (Säurezeiger)
Bioregion
Continental
Nectar value
1
Pollen value
1
Growth form
Krautige Pflanze
Woodiness
Nicht verholzt
Leaf type
Breitblättrig
Plant height
0.179 m
Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)
Pflege & Anbau
Prefers full sun and well-drained, low-nutrient soil. Moisture can range from dry to moderately moist, but the site should not be enriched. No supplementary feeding is required; mycorrhizal fungi assist nutrient uptake. Suitable for poor, sandy or gravelly soils.
Scientific profile
Rumex acetosella is a native herbaceous plant in Great Britain, typically reaching about 18 cm in height. It is a non-woody, broad-leaved terrestrial species that thrives in full sun and dry to moderately moist, low-nutrient soils. The tiny flowers, produced from May to August, offer minimal nectar and pollen (value 1). Its light indicator value of 8 denotes a strong need for open, sunny conditions, while the low nutrient value of 2 reflects a preference for infertile ground. The species tolerates only low disturbance severity (0.56) and forms arbuscular mycorrhizal associations. Leaves average 161 mm² in area, and the small diaspores weigh about 0.4 mg.
Pollinators & visitors
2 Arten interagieren mit dieser Pflanze
Andrena nigroaenea (Kirby,1802)Andrena wilkella
Host relationships
5 species use this plant as a host
Adscita staticesLycaena phlaeasLasiocampa trifoliiDiacrisia sannioEugnorisma depuncta
Other flower visitors
2 other species visit the flowers
Cantharis obscura Linnaeus,1758Coccinella septempunctata
Sources & data origin
•Cook et al. (2025) UK Butterfly & Moth Traits (DOI: 10.5285/dbc7cc17-cbbd-49dd-bab4-8e8855768d66)
•pollinator_interactions
•FloraWeb / BfN
•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)
•EuPPollNet — Kuppler et al. (2025), DOI: 10.1111/geb.70000 (CC BY 4.0)
•Database of Pollinator Interactions (DoPI) — Pocock et al. (2022), DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3801 (CC BY)
•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)
•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)
•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)
•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)
All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →