Edible plant - novice Season - spring to autumn Common names Wood sorrel, common wood sorrel, Irish shamrock, cuckoo bread, European wood sorrel, candle of the woods, fairy bells, cuckoo's meat, cups and saucers, bird's bread and cheese, wood ash, Whitsun flower, laverocks
Scientific name meaning: Oxalis is derived from the Greek Oxys, meaning sour. Acetosella means vinegar salts
Habitat  Woodland and gardens with dappled shade. It likes moist environments and is often found growing on mossy logs. |
Overall structure  Wood sorrel is a low growing plant reaching 10cm high but forming dense mats on woodland floors. Flowers appear in springtime. |
Leaves  The leaves have long stalks and are top with a trifoliate leaf arrangement. Each leaflet has a notch, giving it a love-heart shape. The leaves are hairy. |
Stem  The flower stems appear in spring and each one has a single terminal flower. There are hairs on the stem. |
Flowers  The flowers appear in spring and there is a single flower per flower stem. They have five petals that can be white to pale pink in colour but have visible darker coloured veins. The flower nods over giving it a bell-like appearance. |
Seeds  The seeds form in a hairless five-sided capsule. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be confused with poisonous trefoils but these have oval-shaped rather than heart-shaped leaflets, and the clovers, such as red clover (Trifolium pratense), pictured, which also have oval-shaped leaflets. Wood sorrel could easily be confused with other members of the Oxalis family but these are edible. |
Use as a food Wood sorrel has a very sharp citrus taste due to its oxalic acid content (see hazards). Its leaves and flowers are used raw in salads or to replace lemon or lime in dishes requiring and acidic zing.
The juice of wood sorrel can curdle milk Use in herbal medicine and medicine Wood sorrel has been used as a pain killer, diuretic, to increase menstrual flow, to treat chest conditions, to reduce fever, to increase appetite, and to treat pimples/boils
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.
Hazards High levels of oxalic acid is what gives wood sorrel its distinctive acid taste. However, this acid should not be eaten in large amounts. For healthy people, it is fine in moderation. Oxalic acid binds to other nutrients, particularly calcium, making them unavailable for the body to use and causing a deficiency.
Oxalic acid in quantity will also aggravate rheumatism, kidney stones, gout and arthritis. It has anticoagulant effects so those suffering from a blood thinning disorder or taking blood thinners, should avoid common sorrel. Hyperacidity is another condition which would be affected by consumption of increased amounts of oxalic acid.
Other uses Has been used to remove stains from linen Importance to other species The flowers of wood sorrel provide a nectar source for bees, hoverflies and other insects
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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