1 named cultivar

‘Plum Crazy’Plum Crazy Yellow Woodsorrel

perennialN. America Native

Yellow Woodsorrel

The Story

Plant Bio

Oxalis stricta, common yellow woodsorrel, is a low spreading perennial native to both North America and Eurasia, reaching two to twelve inches. Clover-like leaves of three heart-shaped leaflets fold shut at night and in bright sun. Small five-petalled yellow flowers appear from spring through autumn, followed by upright cylindrical seed capsules held above the foliage.

Those capsules are the reason it is so hard to be rid of: when ripe they split explosively and can fling seed up to sixteen feet, well beyond wherever you were weeding. The whole plant is edible with a sharp lemony taste from oxalic acid, which is also the reason to eat it only in small quantities.

Uses & Benefits:

Fine clover-like foliage and small yellow flowers over a long season, in places nothing else colonises.

Edible leaves, flowers and pods with a sharp lemon flavour, useful in small amounts.

Small bees and flies use the flowers; foliage is a food plant for several moth larvae.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Perennial

Height

8 inches

Width

12 inches

Light

Partial Sun

Zones

8, 9, 10

Water

Low

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

North America and Eurasia

Toxicity

Edible in small amounts

Planting

How to Grow

It arrives on its own; deliberate planting is rare.
It accepts full sun to partial shade and poor soil.
Nothing needs watering or feeding for it to thrive.
Remove seed capsules before they ripen to limit spread.
Hand-weed while plants are small and roots shallow.
Mulch bare soil, since seed needs light and open ground.

Pro Tip

Weed it before the seed capsules stand upright — once they are ripe, disturbing the plant fires seed several feet in every direction.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Hand-weed while plants are still small 🌱
Remove capsules before they ripen ✂️
Mulch bare soil to deny it germination sites 🍂
Use leaves sparingly as a sharp salad herb 🍋

Don't

Pull it once the capsules are ripe; that scatters the seed ❌
Eat it in quantity, because of the oxalic acid ❌
Leave bare soil, where it germinates fastest ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monitor
Prune

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Tolerated groundcover in informal areasWild edge and path crackForaged salad herb

Companion Plants

Common Violet Wild Strawberry Self-Heal Pennsylvania Sedge White Clover

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Yellow Woodsorrel questions

What zones can Yellow Woodsorrel grow in?

Yellow Woodsorrel is hardy in USDA Zones 8–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Yellow Woodsorrel deer resistant?

Yes — Yellow Woodsorrel is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Yellow Woodsorrel bloom?

Yellow Woodsorrel typically blooms in spring to fall through early summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Yellow Woodsorrel need full sun?

Yellow Woodsorrel does best in part shade.