There are many species of Oxalis, but Pink Oxalis or Woods Sorrel is a special, old fashioned plant. It is a deciduous rhizomatous perennial that is dense and mounded and grows up to 1' tall. Flowers of this plant may be partially concealed by the foliage. It is commonly used as an indoor potted plant as well as a border perennial. Flowers and leaves fold at night. This plant may go dormant in dry, hot summers if is is not watered. Leaves contain oxalates that are classified as poisonous, although the effects are local and not systemic or internal. This plant is tolerant of full sun to partial shade. It tolerates dry soil but goes dormant. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. Old plantings form rounded clumps covered with hundreds of bright pink flowers, blooming once in the spring and again in fall. It is almost impossible to kill and can be passed along to friends with the small, scaly, bulb-like rhizomes. This plant is relatively pest free. Grows best in full sun to partial shade and moist to dry soil. They can be propagated by division of the bulb-like rhizomes in the fall or spring. Quick ID Hints: Low, mounded, stemless perennial with clover-like leaves Ternately compound leaf folds down at night 5-petaled pink/white/magenta flowers close at night More information on Oxalis .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Rounded; Spreading
Leaf color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Edible
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are basal, ternately compound, obovate with a notch at the top, and are erect to spreading. Leaves have 3 clover-like leaflets that are obcordate to incised triangular, entire, bright green or burgundy in color, and fold down at night. Petioles are slender and succulent.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Edible; Showy
Flower form
Cyme; Umbel
Flower shape
Funnel; Saucer; Trumpet
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are pink, white, magenta, or yellow in color. They grow up to an inch in size and have 5 petals that are partially fused at the base. Flowers have 10 stamens that are in 2 whorls of 5. Inflorescence is an umbel up to 3" in diameter with a long pedicel.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring
Fruit color
Green
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Fruits are a dehiscent capsule that is fleshy and ejects seeds when ripe.
Stem detail
Stems are acaulescent.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
South America
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers; Roots; Seeds; Tubers
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
EDIBLE PARTS: Small amounts of leaves, flowers, seeds, tubers/roots eaten raw are not dangerous. They have a lemon-like sour flavor.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Houseplants; Lawn; Naturalized Area
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Garden tags
#pink flowers #rhizomes #poisonous #edible garden #yellow flowers #white flowers #fantz #HS302 #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #houseplant #lawn planting #perennial #HS303 #HS304
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses; Weedy
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Large quantities may cause trembling, cramps, and staggering in grazing animals, but there are no documented cases in humans. All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestions of large quantities. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses, and kidney failure is possible if significant amounts are eaten.