PlantFiles: Wood Sorrel, Whitsun Flower, Green Snob, Sleeping Beauty
Oxalis acetosella

interesting plant. seems very happy inside by a morning sun window. trying it outside this spring....

This Oxalis seems to be quite happy in the same conditions as Toadlily.
Very early morning sun and never completely dry.

A perennial plant native to the Northern Hemisphere.

Has trifoliate, slightly downy, dark green, slightly notched at the tip leaves. Bears white, 5 petalled, solitary flowers veined in purple, may also be completely purple or violet on rare occasions.

Flowers twice a year, first flowers are May - July, Autumn flowers never open. Spring flowers fold up when there is rain or at night and are sometimes visited by bees.

Tricky plant to grow where unhappy .... it needs constantly moist, acid soil in shade in a cool spot, perfect for woodland. Where happy it will rapidly spread but will not tolerate any dryness, heat or too much sun.

Is a strong contender for the original Irish Shamrock. Was once thought to enable people to see faeries if an ointment made from the leaves were applied to the eyes (something else not to try at home otherwise you will be definitely seeing the doctor)

It has a bitter taste and frankly if you want bitter then Rumex acetosella (Sorrel) is much better and easier to grow.

North American Indians once fed the leaves to their horses to give them greater speed.