Dock (Rumex ×dissimilis): A Lesser-Known Hybrid in the Garden
If you’ve stumbled upon Rumex ×dissimilis in your plant research, you’ve discovered one of the more mysterious members of the dock family. This perennial forb represents a fascinating example of plant hybridization, though it remains relatively obscure in both botanical literature and gardening circles.
What Makes This Dock Special?
Rumex ×dissimilis is a hybrid dock species, meaning it arose from the crossbreeding of two different dock species. Like other members of the dock family, it’s classified as a forb – essentially an herbaceous plant that lacks significant woody tissue and maintains its growing points at or below ground level during winter months.
Where You’ll Find It
This particular dock has a notably limited range in North America, documented only in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. As a non-native species that was introduced from elsewhere, it has managed to establish itself and reproduce naturally in these northeastern states, though it hasn’t spread widely across the continent.
The Challenge of Growing Rumex ×dissimilis
Here’s where things get tricky for the curious gardener: reliable information about cultivating Rumex ×dissimilis is surprisingly scarce. This hybrid dock seems to fly under the radar of most gardening resources, making it a challenge for those interested in adding it to their landscape.
What We Do Know
Based on its classification and family characteristics, we can make some educated assumptions:
- As a perennial forb, it likely returns year after year from its root system
- Being a dock, it probably prefers moist to wet soils
- It may tolerate a range of soil conditions, as many dock species are quite adaptable
- Its limited geographic range suggests it may have specific climate preferences
Should You Grow It?
Given the limited information available about this hybrid dock, it’s difficult to make strong recommendations either way. While it’s not listed as invasive or problematic, the lack of cultivation information makes it a challenging choice for most gardeners.
If you’re drawn to supporting native ecosystems, consider exploring indigenous alternatives instead. Native sedges, rushes, or wetland wildflowers can provide similar ecological functions with better-documented growing requirements and known benefits to local wildlife.
The Bottom Line
Rumex ×dissimilis remains something of an enigma in the plant world. While it’s established itself in parts of New England, its hybrid nature and limited documentation make it more of a botanical curiosity than a reliable garden choice. If you’re interested in dock species for your landscape, you might have better luck with more well-documented relatives that offer clearer growing guidance and established garden performance.
Sometimes the most intriguing plants are also the most elusive – and Rumex ×dissimilis certainly fits that description!
