Common sorrel or garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), often simply called sorrel, is a perennial herb in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock.It is a common plant in grassland habitats and is cultivated as a garden herb or leaf vegetable (pot herb). drink called zobo (sorrel squash) is made from a decoction of the plant calyx. In Romania, wild or garden sorrel, known as măcriş or ştevie, is used to make sour soups, stewed with spinach, added fresh to lettuce and spinach in salads or over open sandwiches.