Oxalis acetosella

Oxalis acetosella, the wood-sorrel or common wood-sorrel, is a herbaceous rhizomatous flowering plant in the family Oxalidaceae. The specific epithet acetosella refers to its sour taste. The common name wood-sorrel is often used for other plants in the genus Oxalis. In much of its range, most of Europe and parts of Asia, it is the only member of its genus and hence simply known as wood-sorrel. While 'common wood-sorrel' may be used to differentiate it from most other species, this name is also used for the North American Oxalis montana.

Description

A low growing plant. It is 5-10 cm high. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are small and shamrock shaped. The leaves have 3 heart shaped leaflets. They are initially folded in the middle. The leaves fold up at night and in strong sun or heavy rain. The flowers have 5 petals and are white. The flowers are bell shaped and have fine purple veins. The seed husks are yellow.

Edible Uses

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, offering a delicious lemony flavour that makes them a refreshing, thirst-quenching snack and a welcome addition to salads, soups, and sauces. Use in moderation due to oxalic acid content. The flowers are edible raw and make a decorative addition to salads. The dried plant can also be used as a curdling agent for plant milks.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are added to salads. They are also used in soups and sauces. The dried leaves are used for tea. CAUTION: Because the leaves contain oxalic acid they should be eaten cautiously or cooked in several changes of water. The leaves can be used to curdle sheep's milk.

Medicinal Uses

The fresh or dried leaves are anodyne, antiscorbutic, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, irritant, and stomachic. A decoction is used to treat fevers, both quenching thirst and allaying the fever itself. Externally, crushed leaves are applied directly to boils and abscesses, and have an astringent effect on wounds. Internal use requires some caution due to the oxalic acid content; the plant is contra-indicated for people suffering from gastritis or a calculus condition.

Known Hazards

The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Distribution

It is native to northern temperate regions. It grows in damp and shady places. It is often on forest floors. In Pakistan it grows in shady places between 1,200-2,500 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 3-10. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belarus, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Europe, Finland, France, Georgia, Himalayas, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Norway, NW India, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Türkiye, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers moist shady conditions and a humus rich soil in shade or dappled sunlight[4, 9, 13, 27, 37, 200]. Dislikes very heavy and wet soils. Plants are hardy to about -25°c. A dainty woodland carpeter growing well in a woodland or wild garden. When well sited the plants can run aggressively and also self-sow. The plant flowers in early spring, but does not produce much fertile seed at this time. Most of the fertile seed is produced from cleistogamous flowers during the summer.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, then plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring is very easy — larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions. Smaller divisions are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established before planting out in late spring or early summer.

Other Uses

The juice of the leaves removes iron mould stains from linen. Plants make a useful ground cover in woodland or under the shade of shrubs, spaced approximately 45cm apart each way.

Other Information

They are eaten especially by children.

Notes

There are about 500-800 Oxalis species. There are about 115 species in tropical America.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Amrul, Asprini, Carnero, Chalmori, Chari amilo, Cuckoo bread, Eki yonca, Eksi yonca, European wood-sorrel, Gaukesyre, Irish shamrock, Janese hapuoblikas, Janese kapstad, Kapusta, Kikikapsas, Kiskio kopustai, Mountain wood sorrel, Muavela, Pa-i-vi, Pak huku, Pan de koutu, Saksamaa oblikad, Sour grass, Suurklee, Tarrago de monte, Trevol, Tuolaibaba, Zaeshki kiselets, Zaiachii klever, Zakskabenes, Zajacia detalinka, Zajackova kapusta, Zajeczy, Zayacha kapusta

References (61)

• Abbet, C., et al, 2014, Ethnobotanical survey on wild alpine food plants in Lower and Central Valais (Switzerland). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151 (2014) 624–634
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 418
• Amer. Monthly Mag. & Crit. Rev. 266. 1818 (As Oxalis montana)
• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 751

More from Oxalidaceae

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