Wood Sorrel

Oxalis acetosella

Raw-safeMar–JulGreens

Shaded woodland floor, often on mossy logs and banks

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All Identification Points

Three heart-shaped leaflets like a shamrock — folds closed at night

Bright green, often slightly yellow-green

Delicate white flowers with lilac-pink veins in spring

Grows in dense carpets on shaded woodland floor

Pleasant sharp lemony taste from oxalic acid

Harvest Notes

Pick small amounts only — contains oxalic acid. Do not eat in large quantities or daily.

Uses

Garnish, salads, lemony freshness added to fish or soup.

Equipment Needed

Fingers, small container.

Storage

Use same day — very delicate and wilts quickly.

Lookalikes

Clover (Trifolium) — rounded leaflets, does not fold, no sour taste. Completely harmless.

Relative Nutrition

Protein

Vitamin C

Iron

Where to Find It

Leigh Woods and Goblin Combe woodland floor — often carpets mossy banks in deep shade.

Leigh WoodsGoblin CombeSnuff Mills

Personal foraging permitted under the Theft Act 1968. Never uproot plants without landowner permission. Always use multiple identification methods before consuming any wild food.

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