Woodsorrel sourgrass is a native North American plant. It is found from the Eastern U.S. into Canada. The plant has a long history as food and medicine to indigenous people. The plant is a perennial weed with three heart-shaped leaflets and produces a five-petaled, yellow flower from spring to fall. Seeds form in hard little capsules which erupt when ripe and shoot seed up to 12 feet (4 m.) away. Each pod contains 10 seeds. The plant often colonizes vacant spots in the lawn and can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm.) tall.

When I was a newly married in NYC, some florists sold this natural plant ( ie, weed) as a houseplant. I have no idea of where they sourced it. However, seeing it as a houseplant back then is why I got the idea to collect this naturally wild, shamrock-like plant late last Summer and pot it up as a houseplant. That is the specimen above in my photo. It has previously bloomed with a few flowers during both this last Fall and Winter. However now that Spring 2022 is here, the plant’s flowering is profuse.

"Yellow woodsorrel can also be used as a natural, medicinal “herb”.
“This wild plant is full of Vitamin C. It contains potassium oxalate and oxalic acid, which can be dangerous to people with kidney problems, gout, and arthritis. However, in minor consumption, ill effects are rare. As a medicinal, woodsorrel has been used topically to cool skin, soothe the stomach, as a diuretic, and astringent. The plant is also useful in treating scurvy, fever, urinary tract infections, sore throats, nausea, and mouth sores. It supposedly helps cleanse blood, and some believe it can help in cancer cases. The flowers are a historical source of orange-yellow dye.”

No, I don’t use it for anything beyond it being something that looks pretty. To me, the term “natural” doesn’t automatically make something “safe” for all. Or that it is actually lives up to its claim to be a miracle, non-man-made health aide.

Anyhow, if you don’t use chemicals to control the weeds in your lawn, you may also find some yellow sorrow growing naturally this Spring and Summer. I know there have been patches of it growing wild and unwanted in our lawn. Frankly, I feel the flowers are much prettier potted up and highlighted than when it is in the ground competing with grass and whatever else is growing as a ground cover in wild Nature.

For the record, the vivid colors are not postprocessing, but instead the effect of a cloudy day and diffused lighting.