Oxalis stricta

The following information is for the genus Oxalis: Animals that eat the seeds, leaves, and bulbs: Ground dove, Mourning dove, Bobwhite quail, Painted bunting, Horned lark, Field sparrow, Eastern grasshopper sparrow, Tree sparrow. Animals that eat the plant: Cottontail rabbit, Deer, White-tailed deer (Martin et al. 1951).

Yellow wood-sorrel is common in eastern and central United States. It has been introduced into Europe where it has become widespread as a weed. The common name sorrel usually refers to a plant with sour juice. Oxalis is the Greek word for sour. The leaves, flowers and bulbs are eaten raw or cooked in the spring through fall (Chase 1965). Raw leaves contain oxalates which if eaten in too large a quantity can cause stomach upset and tie up calcium in the body. The parts of this plant taste sour or lemony and can be included in salads, cooked greens or even steamed with fish to add a tart flavor. An old scout manual recommends chewing the leaves to relieve thirst. It contains significant amounts of vitamin A.

Open woods, prairie ravines, stream banks, gardens, waste places, thickets, and hedgerows.