Field Dock: A Lesser-Known Member of the Dock Family
If you’ve stumbled across the name field dock in your plant research, you might be wondering what exactly this plant is and whether it belongs in your garden. Field dock (Rumex pseudonatronatus) is one of those plants that tends to fly under the radar in gardening circles, and for good reason—there’s surprisingly little information available about this particular member of the dock family.
What is Field Dock?
Field dock is a perennial forb, which is simply a fancy way of saying it’s a non-woody herbaceous plant that comes back year after year. Like its more famous relatives such as curly dock and broadleaf dock, this plant belongs to the buckwheat family and shares the characteristic lance-shaped leaves that dock plants are known for.
You might also see this plant listed under its synonym, Rumex fennicus, in some botanical references, though Rumex pseudonatronatus is the accepted scientific name.
Where Does Field Dock Grow?
This dock species has established itself across a surprisingly large swath of North America, despite being non-native to the continent. You’ll find it growing in several Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and even up in Yukon Territory. In the United States, it’s been documented in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
The plant’s distribution suggests it’s quite cold-hardy and well-adapted to northern climates, though it’s worth noting that it reproduces and spreads on its own in the wild without human assistance.
Should You Grow Field Dock?
Here’s where things get a bit tricky. While field dock isn’t currently listed as invasive or noxious, the reality is that we simply don’t have enough information about this particular species to make strong recommendations either way. What we do know is that many dock species can be quite aggressive spreaders, and this one has already shown it can naturalize successfully across a wide geographic range.
If you’re drawn to the idea of growing a dock plant, you might want to consider some native alternatives instead:
- Wild ginger for shaded areas with similar foliage interest
- Native sedges for naturalistic plantings
- Wild bergamot or other native wildflowers for prairie-style gardens
The Information Gap
One of the most honest things we can say about field dock is that there’s a lot we don’t know. Details about its specific growing requirements, wildlife benefits, aesthetic qualities, and garden performance are surprisingly scarce in horticultural literature. This lack of information might actually be telling us something—it suggests this isn’t a plant that’s caught the attention of gardeners or researchers as being particularly noteworthy, either positively or negatively.
What We Can Assume
Based on its geographic distribution and family characteristics, field dock likely:
- Prefers cooler climates (given its northern range)
- Tolerates a variety of soil conditions
- Produces small, inconspicuous flowers typical of dock species
- Has deep taproot systems like other docks
- May self-seed readily
The Bottom Line
Field dock falls into that gray area of plants that aren’t necessarily problematic but aren’t particularly exciting either. Without clear information about its garden value, growing requirements, or potential impacts, it’s hard to make a case for actively seeking it out for your landscape.
Instead of taking a chance on this lesser-known dock, consider exploring the wealth of well-documented native plants that can provide reliable beauty, wildlife benefits, and ecosystem support in your garden. Your local native plant society or extension office can point you toward species that will thrive in your specific conditions while supporting local wildlife.
Sometimes the most interesting plant stories are about the ones we don’t know much about—and field dock certainly fits that bill!
