Oxalis sp.

Also known as Sourgrass or Lemon clover because of its distinctive sour-lemon taste, yellow wood sorrel is a pretty wildflower or a ubiquitous weed, depending on your perspective and how much of it you’ve got in your yard. There are multiple species in this genus with similar characteristics, so I won’t attempt to nail this one down to species.

A common characteristic of all of the Oxalis species is the three-part, clover-like leaf that is commonly referred to as a “shamrock”.  Each leaflet in the three-part leaf has a charming heart shape (which makes them fun to pick and share with someone you love 🙂 ). Oxalis leaves fold up at night too, which gives them that special “oddness” that children enjoy discovering.  As the name implies, the 5-petalled, funnel-shaped flowers of Yellow Wood Sorrel are yellow.

There is a pinkish wood sorrel in our area.  Check out Violet Wood Sorrel too.

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Yellow Wood Sorrel: each leaf is made up of three heart-shaped leaflets

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Leaves have long petioles that angle upward

Seedpod of Yellow Wood Sorrel

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Yellow Wood Sorrel: funnel-shaped yellow flower

Yellow Wood Sorrel: five petals