Wood Sorrel

Wood sorrel is a edible wild flower commonly know as “sour grass”. Wood sorrel has several species but this article  will be about yellow wood sorrel.

Native to North America ,Eurasia , and small spots in Britain, yellow wood sorrel, like most any plant, grows well in sunny areas or when it is in grassy habitats where the soil is heathy. It can be found growing on hiking trails,sidewalks, and in between cracks in paved areas.  It is a very durable plant, it can be mowed, poisoned, and walked on, and it will still grow in abundance. Wood sorrel will usually begin growing in early spring and continue through mid Fall, but by late Fall the weather becomes too chilly. Wood sorrel can grow to up to 15 inches tall, and can by easily distinguished by its lemony flavor and yellow five petaled flowers that grow beside its clover-like counterpart. If you have ever seen yellow wood sorrel then you would probably have noticed the half inch pods that grow in sync with everything else. These pods are how wood sorrel regenerate. The seed pods are divided into five different sections with at least ten seeds in each part. When the pods dry out, they pop open  and release the seeds and the whole growing process will begin again in season.

Wood sorrel is said to add a pleasant kick to salads if you are looking  for something  with a little more tartness then lemons or limes. I myself have never tried it in a salad, but I have tried to make a sort of lemonade drink from its petals. Wood sorrel is quite refreshing and is the perfect thing for a hot summers day. It’s is very easy to harvest, just pluck it up by the roots. This non troublesome, easy growing plant also has many health benefits. It can calm a sore throat, settle an upset stomach, create an appetite, and can also be used as a blood cleanser. The only con that I can think of is the oxalic acids that wood sorrel carries, which can be harmful to people with high blood pressure if overly consumed.

In summary, I think yellow wood sorrel is quite a  blessing considering its many uses. It is a natural healing remedy as well as food and if you’re not into eating wild edibles, then it’s mere beauty will put a smile on your face. It is not complicated to grow and you can eat everything, stems and all. I suggest people look at wood sorrel from a different prospective and thank Yahweh for providing food that is so easy to grow and so delicious.

Sources:  altnature.com, kingdomplantae.net, specialityproduce.com