Mountain sorrel (qunguliq)

Oxyria digyna

Sour, juicy leaves eaten fresh on the tundra, one of the first greens of the Arctic summer and rich in vitamin C.

Type: herb or perennial · native and wild plants
Hardiness: zones 1 to 6
Light: full sun
Size: about 1 ft tall, 1 ft wide
Harvest: June to August
From: Arctic and high mountains around the Northern Hemisphere
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.

Good for: food, wildlife.

Native to: Alaska, Western Canada, Eastern Canada, Northern Europe & the taiga, Rockies & Great Basin. Hardy in zones 1 to 6.

The story

Mountain sorrel grows wherever snow lies late, from Arctic shores to high mountain screes. Inuit call it qunguliq and have long eaten the sour, kidney-shaped leaves fresh on the land, or preserved them for winter. It was one of the few fresh sources of vitamin C in the far north.

Planting

Full sun in cool, moist, gritty soil that never bakes. Sow seed in autumn or early spring; it needs cold to sprout. It suits a rock garden or the north side of a raised bed.

Growing

Keep it cool and damp. It dislikes hot summers and rich feeding. Clumps live for years and seed gently around.

Harvest and use

Pick young leaves from early summer to the first hard frost. Eat them raw in small amounts, like garden sorrel, or cook them into soups and sauces.

What to watch for

Like all sorrels it is high in oxalic acid, so eat it in moderation. It fades quickly in warm lowland summers.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home