Short Description
Creeping woodsorrel is an annual to perennial plant that can grow to a height of 20 cm.
The leaves are alternately arranged on the stem and often reddish-brown in colour. Each leaf consists of three leaflets radially arranged on the stalk (trifoliate).
The stalk is generally short and erect to prostrate. It is highly branched and forms numerous creeping lateral shoots that often form roots at the nodes.
The flowers are yellow with five petals. In the middle of the flower are stamens of different length, arranged in two circles.
The fruits are capsules that open explosively when mature.
Features
Creeping woodsorrel
Oxalis corniculata
typical clover-leaf shape
leaves often reddish-brown
yellow flowers
In the city
In towns, the creeping woodsorrel is increasingly frequently found in gardens and cemeteries, but mainly between paving stones and along house walls. It prefers moderately dry to fresh sites with nutrient-rich soils.
Gardeners generally regard creeping woodsorrel as a persistent weed. Garden and potting compost often already contains woodsorrel seeds when purchased.
Fun Facts
The flowers only open in direct sunlight. For that reason, the plant is seen as a weather indicator.
Varieties with dark-red leaves are cultivated in gardens as carpeting plants.
The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour.
It flowers from June to September.
- Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Sources
Habitus, Alice Kracht, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://offene-naturfuehrer.de/web/Datei:Oxalis_corniculata.JPG
Habitus, Uwe W., CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oxalis_corniculata_in_a_cobblestone_column.JPG
Blätter, Ganesh Dhamodkar, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leaves_of_Oxalis_corniculata.jpg
Eggenberg, S. & Möhl, A. (2007) Flora Vegetativa: Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Pflanzen der Schweiz im blütenlosen Zustand, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt Verlag.
Spohn, M., Golte-Bechtle, M. & Spohn, R. (2015) Was blüht denn da? Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.
Jäger, E. J. (2011) Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband, Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.
Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.
Page „Horn-Sauerklee“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 30.12.2016, 20:45 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Horn-Sauerklee&oldid=161117877 (Accessed: 05.01.2017).
Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=4063& (Accessed: 05.01.2017).