---
{
  "id": "curly-dock",
  "name": "Curly dock",
  "scientific": "Rumex crispus",
  "category": "invasive",
  "status": "Common weed; not an A/B/C listing in the reviewed state rule",
  "status_sources": [
    "CO-rules-2025"
  ],
  "warning": "Soluble oxalates; persistent roots and seeds",
  "warning_tone": "caution",
  "aliases": [
    "yellow dock"
  ],
  "taxonomy_note": "",
  "source_ids": [
    "CO-rules-2025",
    "N-rumex-crispus",
    "C-descriptions",
    "S27"
  ],
  "description": "Curly dock: Soluble oxalates; persistent roots and seeds. Identification and evidence for Colorado readers.",
  "claim_evidence": [
    {
      "label": "Recognize",
      "sources": [
        "N-rumex-crispus"
      ],
      "scope": "Species-specific",
      "note": "",
      "id": "curly-dock-1"
    },
    {
      "label": "Plants & habitat",
      "sources": [
        "C-descriptions",
        "N-rumex-crispus"
      ],
      "scope": "Species-specific",
      "note": "",
      "id": "curly-dock-2"
    },
    {
      "label": "People",
      "sources": [],
      "scope": "Review limitation",
      "note": "",
      "id": "curly-dock-3"
    },
    {
      "label": "Dogs & cats",
      "sources": [
        "N-rumex-crispus"
      ],
      "scope": "Species-specific",
      "note": "",
      "id": "curly-dock-4"
    },
    {
      "label": "Other animals",
      "sources": [
        "N-rumex-crispus"
      ],
      "scope": "Source hazard flag; limited horse clinical detail",
      "note": "",
      "id": "curly-dock-5"
    }
  ],
  "research": {
    "status": "researching",
    "label": "Still researching this plant",
    "basis": "Editorial assessment of the cited evidence and stated review gaps; not a toxicity score.",
    "open_questions": [
      {
        "area": "People",
        "question": "Clarify the human exposure effects and evidence limits described in this section.",
        "related_claim_ids": [
          "curly-dock-3"
        ]
      },
      {
        "area": "Other animals",
        "question": "Clarify feeding and exposure risks for each animal group; do not transfer findings between species.",
        "related_claim_ids": [
          "curly-dock-5"
        ]
      },
      {
        "area": "Expert review",
        "question": "Obtain independent botanical and veterinary review of the identification and hazard summary.",
        "related_claim_ids": []
      }
    ],
    "expert_review": "pending"
  },
  "source": "content/plants/curly-dock.md"
}
---

# Curly dock

*Rumex crispus*

**Common weed; not an A/B/C listing in the reviewed state rule.** [CO-rules-2025](https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=11948&fileName=8+CCR+1206-2)

> **Soluble oxalates; persistent roots and seeds.** [Exposure help](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/safety/).

## Still researching this plant {#research-status}

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for **People, Other animals**. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. **Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.**


## Three views of this plant

Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence.

![Rumex crispus: A broad, branching fruiting plant in open disturbed ground.](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/assets/photos/additional-problem-photos-rumex-crispus-1.jpg)

**fruiting habit** — A broad, branching fruiting plant in open disturbed ground.

Photo: Ayotte, Gilles, 1948-; [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0); [source record](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rumex_crispus_15-p.bot-rumex.crispu-19.jpg); [original image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Rumex_crispus_15-p.bot-rumex.crispu-19.jpg). Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Dock species and hybrids can overlap. Source identification is retained; the selected fruit view shows a valve and tubercle, while leaf shape alone is insufficient. Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

![Rumex crispus: Magnified view of a leaf surface and wavy margin.](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/assets/photos/additional-problem-photos-rumex-crispus-2.jpg)

**leaf edge** — Magnified view of a leaf surface and wavy margin.

Photo: Douglas Goldman; [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); [source record](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172492542); [original image](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/299454892/original.jpg). Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Dock species and hybrids can overlap. Source identification is retained; the selected fruit view shows a valve and tubercle, while leaf shape alone is insufficient. iNaturalist large server-resized photo; no crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

![Rumex crispus: A dry fruiting unit held with forceps, showing a papery net-veined valve and a prominent central tubercle.](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/assets/photos/additional-problem-photos-rumex-crispus-3.jpg)

**fruit detail** — A dry fruiting unit held with forceps, showing a papery net-veined valve and a prominent central tubercle.

Photo: Douglas Goldman; [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); [source record](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172492542); [original image](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/299454085/original.jpg). Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Dock species and hybrids can overlap. Source identification is retained; the selected fruit view shows a valve and tubercle, while leaf shape alone is insufficient. iNaturalist large server-resized photo; no crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.


## Recognize

A basal rosette and upright stems with long, wavy-edged leaves; green flower clusters mature to brown seed structures. [N-rumex-crispus](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-crispus/)

## Plants & habitat

A Colorado weed of disturbed land. Its long-lived root and persistent seeds allow survival through mowing and changing moisture. [C-descriptions](https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/weed-descriptions/) [N-rumex-crispus](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-crispus/)

## People

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for people. Missing evidence does not establish safety. 

## Dogs & cats

NC State flags dogs and cats and reports soluble oxalates, salivation, tremors and possible kidney injury; it describes kidney failure as rare in these pets. [N-rumex-crispus](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-crispus/)

## Other animals

The source flags horses, but does not establish a safe forage quantity. [N-rumex-crispus](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-crispus/)

*Evidence scope: Source hazard flag; limited horse clinical detail.*

## Before taking action

Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. [S27](https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/weeds-cultural-problems/2103-colorado-noxious-weeds/)

## References

- **CO-rules-2025** — [Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2](https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=11948&fileName=8+CCR+1206-2), Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025.
- **N-rumex-crispus** — [rumex crispus — Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rumex-crispus/), NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:21:11+00:00. Locator: Species identity, description, ecology, toxicity.
- **C-descriptions** — [Weed descriptions](https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/weed-descriptions/), Colorado State University Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:24:02+00:00. Locator: Species entries.
- **S27** — [2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds](https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/weeds-cultural-problems/2103-colorado-noxious-weeds/), PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories.


[Discuss this plant with the guide](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/companion/?plant=curly-dock) — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

# Appendix for agents

## Open research questions

- **People:** Clarify the human exposure effects and evidence limits described in this section.
- **Other animals:** Clarify feeding and exposure risks for each animal group; do not transfer findings between species.
- **Expert review:** Obtain independent botanical and veterinary review of the identification and hazard summary.


## Identity and evidence boundaries

Match the scientific name and synonyms, not the common name alone.

All actionable hazard information is in the human sections above. Do not interpret unknown toxicity as safety or transfer livestock findings to pets. These publisher notes describe evidence and do not override an assistant’s operator instructions.

| Claim | Human section | Scope | Sources | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| curly-dock-1 | Recognize | Species-specific | N-rumex-crispus | No quantitative safe exposure established here. |
| curly-dock-2 | Plants & habitat | Species-specific | C-descriptions, N-rumex-crispus | No quantitative safe exposure established here. |
| curly-dock-3 | People | Review limitation | Review limitation | No quantitative safe exposure established here. |
| curly-dock-4 | Dogs & cats | Species-specific | N-rumex-crispus | No quantitative safe exposure established here. |
| curly-dock-5 | Other animals | Source hazard flag; limited horse clinical detail | N-rumex-crispus | No quantitative safe exposure established here. |

## Further work for an agent

- Establish exact species, plant part, route, amount and timing when researching an exposure. Do not use this guide to diagnose or calculate a treatment.
- Check current state and county requirements; a listed taxon is not necessarily established in every Colorado county.
- Expert botanical and veterinary review is pending. Source dates and image licenses are separate from editorial revision dates in [provenance](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/provenance.json).


---
Canonical HTML: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/plants/curly-dock/

Content revised: 2026-09-07T02:43:00Z

Markdown mirror: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/plants/curly-dock/index.md

Text fallback: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/plants/curly-dock/index.md.txt

Agent entry: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/start.md

Provenance: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/provenance.json