Leijpark013

@leijpark013 · 06 Feb 2022

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Leijpark 013 Sorrel

#leijpark013 #veldzuring
Published by Thierry P. Dinjens · 21 hours ·
In April, but especially in the month of May, we hear this question again popping through the air: “Are there pollen in the air?”. People with hay fever are immediately alert; the medication is taken out of the kitchen cabinet again. Pretty few people hear the question is wrong. The word 'pollen' is not a plural. It's “pollen” and the word equals the word “pollen”. So the right question is: “Is there pollen in the air?” In May, this question is very relevant, because the plant that produces the highest number of pollen grains, more than half a billion per plant, then becomes active: Field sorrel.
Humans have been eating Field Sorrel for a long time, even though eating it on a daily basis is a guarantee to get kidney stones, due to high oxalic acid content in Field Sorrel. Oxalic acid binds to calcium in your body and kidney stones are small pieces of lime in solid form. So: eat in moderation.
Those who certainly didn't eat in moderation were the Ancient Romans and then obviously I'm talking about the rich. Because the Roman Empire was so great, one could eat everything from all over the Empire at one of the banquets: roasted mice, wild boar, quail, swans, ostriches, tuna and snails. That whole gang in an evening of engulfation is a huge fat deposits on your stomach. The Romans invented the “vomitorium” to deal with this; this was a small room where you could throw up, and then rewelve. What also helped was eating Field Sorrel, because by eating this sour vegetable, the fat breaks down better.
The same Romans also took Field Sorrel with them during their conquests. You can be better ahead of the chance that you encounter fruit along the way; nobody wants to contract scurvy. Fortunately, Field Sorrel is full of vitamin C and in the leaves could also pack food, such as butter and cheese. An ideal plant, except if you have hay fever.
Also years later, Field Sorrel was still eaten and especially in the spring. After all the heavy winter costs, a porridge of milk, currants (or raisins) and sorrel was cooked. Due to the mild laxative effect of Field Sorrel, this results in a natural intestinal lavage. Necessary to clean the intestines and give new strength.
In the Leij Park, we see a color difference occur as soon as Field Sorrel begins to bloom. Suddenly red spots appear in the previously green landscape. Whole fields can turn red, due to the small red flowers that are present in large numbers on the stems of Sorrel. Not only autumn brings color to the Leij Park, also Field Sorrel is a painter of the park.
And: Sorrel is the host plant (the plant whose caterpillars eat) of the small fire moth. This beautiful orange-brown bouncing ball swirls through the Leij Park in the spring and its presence voices us to the delight. However, it is the Field Sorrel that gives her life.
A valuable, beautiful plant, with a rich history, a delicious thirst-quenching taste and a bringer of life. Her presence in the Leij Park won't ever break up acid!