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Great Yellow Wood-sorrel

Oxalis grandis (oks-AL-iss GRAN-dees)

Family: Oxalidaceae Native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Annual or perennial herbs; leaves long-stalked with 3 leaflets; flowers 5-parted, white, yellow, lavender, or rose; fruit a capsule. Site: Woods Poison Part: All parts. Poison Delivery Mode: Ingestion, but no documented cases in humans. Severity: CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Found in: Houseplant or interiorscape; weedy in disturbed areas, lawns; landscape in flower gardens as herbaceous perennial. More information on Oxalis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 58 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

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 plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Annual; Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant; Poisonous; Weed; Wildflower
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Rosulate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Edible
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Compound leaf with three 1-2 in. leaflets edged with thin maroon line; inversely heart-shaped leaflets; long-stalked
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Edible
Flower form
Cyme; Umbel
Flower shape
Funnel; Saucer; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Up to 1 in. yellow flowers; five sepals and petals. Each petal has a red mark at the base. Blooms May to June.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Green
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Capsules that burst open when ripe, flinging seeds. Unripe fruits have a tart flavor.
Stem color
Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern USA
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit; Leaves; Flowers; Roots; Seeds; Tubers
Fruit type
Capsule

Edibility

EDIBLE PARTS: Small amounts of leaves, flowers, seeds, tubers/roots eaten raw are not dangerous.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Naturalized Area
Landscape theme
Native Garden
Garden tags
#problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #edible leaves #edible fruits #native wildflower #herbaceous perennial #yellow flowers #edible flowers #NC native #perennial #weedy
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses; Weedy
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
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. Caution: large quantities may cause trembling, cramps, and staggering as in grazing animals.
Toxic principle
Soluble calcium oxylates
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds; Stems

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.