Yellow Woodsorrel, Sour grass
Oxalis stricta

Family: Oxalidaceae

What it is like

An upright herb. It has an underground stem or rhizome. It has a taproot. It is hairy. The stems are 30 cm tall. They form roots at the nodes. The leaves have 3 heart shaped leaflets. The leaflets have a crease in the centre. The flowers are yellow.

There are about 500 Oxalis species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In China it grows in forests and ravines between 400-1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Balkans, Bosnia, Cameroon, Canada, Central Africa, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, North America, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, USA

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten raw or cooked as a green vegetable. They are also chewed to quench thirst. The seed pods are edible. The flowers are roots are also eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, pods, roots, flowers

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Stoloniferous woodsorrel, Tarookay, Zuta soca

Synonyms

Oxalis dillenii Jacq.;