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Oxalis corniculata
Also called `ihi, Wood sorrel, `ihi `ai, `ihi `awa, `ihi maka `ula, `ihi makole, Yellow wood sorrel
In Singapore: Yellow Wood Sorrel, Creeping Wood Sorrel, 酢浆草 (Grown in Singapore)
A low, creeping herb with clover-like leaves and small yellow flowers that close in shade, found as a common weed in gardens and lawns worldwide. It thrives in moist, warm conditions and spreads readily by rooting stems and seed.
Oxalis corniculata, the creeping woodsorrel, procumbent yellow sorrel or sleeping beauty, is a somewhat delicate-appearing, low-growing herbaceous plant in the family Oxalidaceae.
Oxalis corniculata is a small creeping type of woodsorrel that tends to grow well in moist climates. It resembles the common yellow woodsorrel, Oxalis stricta.
This species probably comes from southeastern Asia. It was first described by Linnaeus in 1753 using specimens from Italy, and it seems to have been introduced to Italy from the east before 1500. It is now cosmopolitan in its distribution and is often regarded as a weed in gardens, agricultural fields, and lawns.
The leaves of this species are edible, and have a tangy taste like lemons. A drink can be made by infusing the leaves in hot water for about 10 minutes, sweetening, and then chilling. The entire plant is rich in vitamin C. Any woodsorrel is safe in low dosages, but if eaten in large quantities over a length of time can inhibit calcium absorption by the body.
Wood-sorrel · Silver Shamrock · Barrelier's woodsorrel · Scurvygrass · Crimson woodsorrel · Broadleaf woodsorrel · Nieuwoudtville Sorrel · Blackspot Sorrel · Mountain woodsorrel · Redwood-sorrel · Bermuda buttercup · Purple woodsorrel
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Oxalis corniculata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
