Habitat
Type: woods, hedges
Distribution: throughout northern hemisphere
Other: patch forming

General
Growth type: herb
Cycle: perennial
Height: up to 10 cm
Other: delicate plant

Leaf
Shape: trefoil
Other: closes at night, pale green when young

Stem
Other: creeping

Flower
Petals/sepals: 5
Arrangement: solitary on long leafless stalk
When: April to May
Other:
Colour:

Wood-sorrel can be mistaken for Clover species when neither plant is in flower.

Contains oxalic acid and traces of calcium oxalate. Eat in moderation.
Oxalic acid can bind up other minerals, especially calcium. May aggravate rheumatic conditions, kidney stones, hyper acidity or osteoporosis. May be reduced by cooking, possibly also if eaten with a source of salts derived from methyl salicylate (salicylic acid etc.) from sources such as dried Meadowsweet.

Calcium oxalate crystals cause severe irritation to mucous membranes and organs. Causes burning sensation in mouth, sometimes after a brief delay. Aggravates rheumatic conditions, kidney stones or hyper acidity. Severe poisoning can result in kidney damage and even death. May be neutralised by thoroughly drying or cooking or steeping in water.

all year
March to June

Flavour
Rating and Description:
lemony

How to Consume
raw

Nutrition
Vitamin C

Used as ...
food; juice: curdling agent, lemon substitute
food

Action:
anodyne, antiscorbutic, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, stomachic

May treat:
fever; external (crushed): boils, abscesses, wounds

removes mould stains from linen (not tried, and may leave linen with green stains instead)

Collection
The best time is from autumn to spring. In summer the leaves become dry and bitter, or die back entirely.

Drying
Dry to store

Plant parts:
leaf
stem or trunk
sap
root, bulb, tuber and other below ground parts
flower
fruit
seed

Use:
culinary use
medicinal use
household use

Other:
caution

General Glossary

• trefoil: leaf with three leaflet or lobes

Glossary of Medicinal Terms and Nutritive Substances

• anodyne: eases pain (milder than an analgesic)
• antiscorbutic: prevents scurvy, contains Vitamin C
• astringent: causes localised contraction of blood vessels and tissue, reducing the flow of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• diuretic: increases secretion and elimination of urine
• emmenagogue: stimulates or normalises menstrual flow, in early pregnancy may induce an abortion
• expectorant: removes excess amount of mucus from respiratory system (see also decongestant)
• febrifuge: reduces fever; use only for dangerously high temperature; a raised temperature is the body's way of burning up the pathogen
• stomachic: treats stomach disorders