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Violet woodsorrel

Oxalis violacea

Also called Violet Wood Sorrel, Purple Woodsorrel

Violet woodsorrel
Photo: Ilona Loser, CC BY-SA 3.0

Oxalis violacea is a small native perennial woodland herb from the eastern and central US, grown from a bulb-like rhizome that appears in early spring. It thrives in part shade with consistent moisture, and is grown in the species' home range or in shaded beds and naturalized gardens.

Family
Oxalidaceae (Oxalid family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Part shade
Water
Keep soil consistently moist during its spring growth, and reduce watering after it goes dormant.
Soil
Moist, humus-rich, well-drained woodland soil or leaf mould.
Temperature
Hardy to cold winters in its native range; protect container-grown bulbs from hard freezing.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: All parts contain soluble oxalates, which can cause mouth irritation, stomach upset and, in larger amounts, kidney problems.. Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
C. & E. U.S.A. to N. Mexico
Climate
temperate

About

Oxalis violacea, the violet wood-sorrel, is a perennial plant and herb in the family Oxalidaceae. It is native to the eastern and central United States.

Where it grows

It is native plant in much of the United States, from the Rocky Mountains east to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and through Eastern Canada. It has a tendency to cluster in open places in damp woods and on stream banks, and in moist prairies.

Other Oxalis plants

Wood-sorrel · Silver Shamrock · Barrelier's woodsorrel · Creeping woodsorrel · Scurvygrass · Crimson woodsorrel · Broadleaf woodsorrel · Nieuwoudtville Sorrel · Blackspot Sorrel · Mountain woodsorrel · Redwood-sorrel · Bermuda buttercup

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Oxalis violacea 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.

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