Yellow Woodsorrel
Oxalis europaea
Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis europaea), is not native to the U.S., but is almost identical to a native species of yellow woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta).  It is common in Midwestern lawns and backyards, an under-appreciated beauty.
Family: Woodsorrel (Oxalidaceae)

Height: 6-15"

Origin: non-native

What is it?
   A dainty, yet tough native annual which forms stubborn colonies and blooms all summer long with tiny yellow buttercup-like blooms.

Flower: 1 to many bright yellow flowers, 1/2" wide, with 5 petals

Height: 6-15", but can grow much shorter if it has adapted to mowing

Leaf:
    Each leaf is divided into 3 heart-shaped leaflets, resembling a compound clover leaf.  Each life also has a center crease, along which the leafs can fold up

Bloom time: spring through autumn

Cycle: an annual in the North, perennial in more temperate states.
Step on it, mow it, poison it, drown it- this delicate-looking plant is up to the challenge!
Why should I like it?

           Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis europaea), is an introduced North American plant which may grow either as an annual or as a perennial, depending on the harshness of the winter. This delicate-seeming plant forms colonies which arise from slender but tough underground stems (rhizomes).  That's why this beauty is so hard to destroy in lawns.  For protection from the elements, Wood Sorrel folds its leaves up at night and opens them again in the morning. It also folds them up when under stress, such as when growing in direct sun, or during storms. Wood sorrel prefers moist soil, and partial shade, but is also commonly found growing through the cracks in sidewalks. I've seen it growing both through and along sidewalks, alongside trails, in lawns, and in flower beds and gardens.

          Wood sorrel starts blooming in mid-spring and continues to produce flowers through mid-fall. So if you're looking for attractive, easy maintenance flowers, Oxalis europaea fits the bill.
     Sadly, many consider Yellow Wood Sorrel an annoying weed.  I, too, expended countless hours weeding this little fella.  Now I've learned to love it.  It's delicate, yet can withstand being walked on, mowed to within a quarter inch, and poisoned. It will grow in sun or shade, good soil or poor. It's easy to recognize, easy to remember, and easy to find, since it grows almost everywhere, and there are no plants that look enough like it to confuse the identification, except for other wood sorrel species.

         Finally, although I have never tried it, the literature says that wood sorrel is both thirst-quenching and refreshing to eat (Consult an expert before eating!). The leaves, flowers, and immature green seed pods are all edible, with a sour, lemon-like flavor (the sourness comes from oxalic acid, which can be poisonous if consumed in large amounts).   It can be added to salads, used in soups (the same way as garden sorrel), used in sauces (traditionally served with fish), or used as a seasoning. A chilled, sweetened, wood sorrel tea makes a refreshing beverage along the lines of lemonade. Wood sorrel is quite high in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and may provide other nutrients but, as with many of our common plants, the research appears scanty to non-existent.

          Anyway, stay on the lookout for Yellow Woodsorrel- I'm sure you'll appreciate him as I do.
Use your back button to return to the page you just were, or go . . .
<  Back to the main nature page
<  Back to backyard wildflowers
Home
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1