Rumex acetosa

Sorrel is a perennial herb and is considered by many chefs to be the benchmark variety and is an indispensable green in French cooking. When a farmer became thirsty during spring planting, he would reach down, pluck up some wild sorrel, and eat it. The sour-citrus taste has been prized throughout the world for thousands of years as a wake-up call for taste buds dulled by bland winter foods. Small leaves can be used in salads to add a lemony kick. Perennial.