Take time to notice the little things as you walk through the woodlands in spring and summer. One of the first to carpet the understory is white-flowered, lemon-tasting wood sorrel.
What is wood sorrel?
Thriving in the edges of woodlands and hedgerows across the British Isles, abundantly flowering wood sorrel provides a feast of pollen and nectar for early pollinators.
How to identify wood sorrel?
Thanks to its distinctive foliage – three bright green heart-shaped leaflets joined at the tips – that emerge in a rosette from which delicate nodding stems of white, purple-veined flowers arise, wood sorrel is easy to recognise, helpful if foraging.
It looks especially pretty when low sun streams through the trees at sunrise, just after flowers and leaves open after folding up for the night, security against stormy weather and high dew.
Where to find wood sorrel?
Carpets of wood sorrel proliferate at the base of trees where the ground is damp and shady and has been left undisturbed for long periods of time.
When does wood sorrel flower?
Follow the woody-earthy smell of moss as you wander through the woods in early to mid-spring and you’re also likely to find clumps of this native perennial arising from light-dappled earth but also from mossy tree stumps. As wood sorrel prefers well-established woodland, it’s also known as an indicator of ancient forests.
How to harvest wood sorrel?
Do so sparingly to avoid disturbing the ecology, or plant some to harvest at home.
Is wood sorrel edible?
The whole plant is edible to humans, the tangy, tender leaves ideal as a thirst-quenching, mid-walk pick me up or taken home to make tea or add to salads, desserts, soup, or fish dishes.
How to use wood sorrel?
As well as adding a raw or cooked lemon zing to food or drinks, wood sorrel has also traditionally been used as a medicinal herb to treat scurvy and mouth ulcers – it is now known to be high in vitamin C – and relieve nausea and digestive issues.
The acid taste (Oxalis meaning sour, acetosella meaning vinegar salts) is due to the presence of oxalic acid, also found in rhubarb and Rumex species of sorrel. Too much of this crystallising compound can cause kidney stones and slow blood clotting, so only ingest in small quantities, and avoid if you have health issues.
Wood sorrel is generally considered to be a gentle friend, however, used in spells for protection, luck, and love, and said in folklore to be a charm of Venus and eaten by cuckoos to clear their voices.
What are other names for wood sorrel?
It's botanical name is Oxalis acetosella. Due to its Eastertime appearance, it was also named ‘Alleluia’ by monks, a fitting greeting for one of our loveliest harbingers of warmer weather to come.
What's the difference between clover and wood sorrel?
While wood sorrel and clover might seem like twins at first glance, there are differences in their leaves and flowers to tell them apart.
- Wood sorrel has three heart-shaped leaflets that fold inwards along the center vein, resembling a tiny butterfly. Clover, however, has three rounded leaflets spreading from a single point, like a lucky charm.
- Wood sorrel displays delicate, five-petaled white flowers. Clover, on the other hand, has a dense, rounded flower head, often red, white, or pink.
Looking for more botanical inspiration?
Check out our guides to elder, nettles, yarrow, meadowsweet and unusual medicinal plants found across Britain.
