Curled dock belongs to the buckwheat family. This perennial plant bears a bunch of leaves at the base of the plant, growing from a taproot. In the olden era, the young leaves of the curled dock were consumed as vegetable. The leaves were also made into tea. The dark green leaves of the curled dock are arranged in an alternate manner along the stem and are somewhat wavy at the sides.

The small flowers grow in a cluster, growing heavily at the tip which makes its head droop. The flowers are yellow-green in colour when young and blossom from June to September. After the blooming season the flowers dry to form three-seeded fruits which are brownish in colour. The plant derives its name from the Old English ‘docce’ which refers to the dark colour of the flowers when they turn into fruits.

Curled dock is commonly available almost everywhere including roadsides and any type of field. The plant is common in Europe, throughout the temperate zone and western Asia. The plant thrives in poor soils and waste areas.

The leaves of dock are a rich source of vitamin A and proteins. The young leaves are also eaten as salads. The roots have some medicinal properties and are used as astringents, as laxatives and as tonics.