Yellow wood sorrel
Oxalis stricta
A small herb with three heart-shaped leaflets, yellow flowers and slender upright seed pods. Identified wood sorrel has a sour flavour and limited culinary uses; its oxalate content means it should be used sparingly.
Native range
North America and Eurasia according to the botanical reference; widespread elsewhere.
Typical season
Leaves and flowers occur during the growing season. No reviewed local picking calendar is assigned.
Identification
Compare the heart-shaped leaflets, five-petalled yellow flowers and elongated pods. Clover and other Oxalis species differ. Do not use taste to identify a plant or eat large amounts; a common-name label alone does not resolve the species.