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Jesse Saylor
Oxalidaceae
Oxalis acetosella
Wood Sorrel
Commonly dubbed “wood sorrel”, many would take one look at its bright green, trifoliate leaves and call it “Irish shamrock”, though this small, mat-forming perennial is native to areas far beyond Ireland. In fact, it can be found growing in temperate woodlands across the expanse of the Northern Hemisphere.
Wood sorrel grows from small bulb-like rhizomes that go dormant in winter or during periods of drought. In spring, light green leaves with three heart-shaped leaflets blanket the ground. The leaves fold up at night, or in cloudy weather. Small, single flowers cover the plants in springtime. Each five-petaled white blossom is cup-shaped with pink veins and a yellow center.
Grow wood sorrel in a shaded spot with moist, well-drained loam that's friable. In most woodland garden settings, this perennial may proliferate and become a bit weedy.
8 - 1
3 - 8
A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Perennial
Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade
2"-3" / 5.1cm - 7.6cm
1'-10' / 0.3m - 3.0m
Spring
World/Pandemic, North America, Europe, United Kingdom, Asia
Neutral
Average
Clay, Loam, Sand
Fast
Average Water
Mat-forming
Spring, Summer, Fall
Showy
White, Light Pink
Light Green
No
Single
Yes
Medium
Matte
Container, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Sometimes
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