Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Tell me about woodsorrel and similar clover leaved plants

IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
in Plants
I’ve got the weedy creeping yellow flowered dark leaf ones growing in cracks and some borders and through weed membrane even. I hate them and trying to kill them by not letting the flowers set seeds. Is this enough to eventually kill it?  I don’t remember having them about 5 years ago so I they must have let them seed accidentally when I didn’t know they were troublesome. I’ve also got a little pink one - should I get rid of it? And I bought one called oxalis with big upright leaves and red flowers. I don’t mind them. 
«1

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Sounds like the creeping wood sorrel, Oxalis Corniculata. I'm afraid that once you get it in the garden, you will be forever digging it up. Most likely introduced from a potted plant. If you get there before setting seeds, yes, you should be controlling it. If you have the energy, dig out the clumps.

    The pink one is not as bad, but you need to keep an eye with the leaf-base bulbils that can spread and easily break if you are disturbing the soil around the area.


  • GwcA9yA4ahGwcA9yA4ah Posts: 4
    I also have masses of wood sorrel in an area of my garden and given its delicious taste am looking forward to making sorrel soup at the next opportunity. Maybe you won’t mind it so much if that turns out to be a favourite soup!?
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    I don’t mind the pink and red one. Can’t believe anyone would eat the tiny yellow flowered one, so difficult to pick out. The leaves are tiny and dark and it’s in the crevices of the patio and won’t die. I think it’s got into the lawn too. I didn’t know it had explosive seeds. I don’t think the red or pink one sets seeds like that.
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    How confusing. I just googled images and wild sorrel, common sorrel and wood sorrel leaves all look very different. Lettuce look, dock leaf and shamrock looking. I’m talking about the tiny dark shamrock type weeds.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Ilikeplants said:
    How confusing. I just googled images and wild sorrel, common sorrel and wood sorrel leaves all look very different. Lettuce look, dock leaf and shamrock looking. I’m talking about the tiny dark shamrock type weeds.
    ahhhhhhhhh, the "joys" of common names I'm afraid
    Devon.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    edited July 2020
    @GwcA9yA4ah - the sorrel you make sorrel soup from, isn't wood sorrel, because that contains high concentrations of oxalic acid.  Wood sorrel can be used to add a bit of "tang" to salads, but you shouldn't eat a lot of it at once.  

    https://honest-food.net/french-sorrel-soup/

    - there's a photo in this link of the sorrel the chef used for his soup, which is a relative of the sheep's sorrel which looks like a narrow-leaved dock.   :)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    edited July 2020
    Rumex acetosella = sheep sorrel
    Oxalis acetosella = wood sorrel

    I suspect that sorrel, like the suffix acetosella, means sour - hence a common name which covers several plants.   :)

    And Rumex acetosa = common sorrel, garden sorrel or spinach dock.  This is probably the one made into soup, but I wouldn't bank on it...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Blood veined sorrel is the one to grow in the garden if you're that way inclined. It does tend to spread itself around a bit but the birds love the seeds
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    I've been doing battle with it ever since my friend gave me some slate chippings.  Until then I hadn't had any in my garden.  I rarely use weedkiller but I do use it on the paths and drive where this occurs.  I dig it up/hoe it off whenever I see it in the garden and if I notice the yellow flowers I pull them off in passing to try and stop it self seeding.  I don't think you will ever get rid of it.  It's just a case of keeping it under control. 
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    Indeed the proper name for the problem one is oxalis corniculata and it featured in gardeners world 

    I sympathise with those who have it too. I think mine came with gravel that was given as that’s where it’s rampant and difficult to remove as I had a membrane under the gravel and the roots have meshed in. I’m trying to rub the flower heads when I see them but seeing as they can spit out their seeds 10ft away, it’s going to be a continuous struggle isn’t it. They are sneaky little things and hide well.
Sign In or Register to comment.