PlantFiles: Violet Wood Sorrel
Oxalis violacea

Didn't know what this is. Grows wild throughout my yard. Thought it was a weed, but the flowers are pretty so i let it go where it wants most of the time. zone 11.

Primarily small long-tongued and short-tongued bees visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. This includes Little Carpenter bees, Nomadine Cuckoo bees, Mason bees, Andrenine bees, Green Metallic bees, and other Halictine bees. The bee Andrena violae is an oligolege of this plant and violets that bloom during the spring. Less commonly, the flowers may be visited by small butterflies or skippers. Syrphid flies also visit the flowers, but they feed on the pollen and are non-pollinating. The seeds are eaten to a limited extent by several upland gamebirds and songbirds, including the Bobwhite, Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, Field Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and Slate-Colored Junco. The Cottontail Rabbit eats this plant occasionally, even though it is mildly toxic because of the presence of oxalic acid in the leaves.

In Illinois, this is the only Wood Sorrel with violet flowers that blooms in sunny areas. The flowers and leaves open up on sunny days, otherwise they fold up and "go to sleep." It is an attractive, but rather small plant. The leaves are supposed to be edible in small amounts.

This one just "popped up" in my yard next to some Ipheions. Luckily, I love Oxalis so I'm glad to have it. It's certainly not invasive as this is the first I've seen of it in 12 years here in my yard.

I got starts of this plant at an old homestead and planted it at the front of a shady border. It multiplied fairly rapidly but was not invasive. I love this one for its soft foliage, pretty flowers, and acceptance of poor soil in a shady location. My kids spent years harvesting tiny bouquets of flowers and it has always been their favorite. I've also grown it in full west exposure sun and it did fine, especially in the shade of taller perennials. It makes a pretty 'skirt' for leggy plants.