Oxalis violacea L.

Violet Wood Sorrel; Violet Sour Grass

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Violet Wood Sorrel is a native herbaceous perennial in the Wood-Sorrel family (Oxalidaceae). It can be found throughout most of Alabama but is uncommon in the southern counties. Violet Wood Sorrel occurs in deciduous or pine forests, on roadside banks, along streams, in prairies, and on roadsides. It is an acaulous (without a leafy stem) perennial from a small bulb. Leaves are petiolate and ternately compound with 3 leaflets. The leaflets are obcordate in outline, glabrous, with entire margins. The leaves are green or green marked with purple. The leaves contain oxalate deposits which give them a tart sour taste. Flowers are produced in umbel-like cymes. Each flower has 5 sepals, each with 2 orange gland-like tubercles at their apex. The 5 petals are separate or joined together near their base. Flower color ranges from deep lavender to pink or almost white. The fruit is a capsule. Violet Wood Sorrel is sometimes available from native plant nurseries. It prefers a well-draining soil in partial sun to light shade. It will often spread rapidly from stolons or seed. It can be used as a ground cover or as a low growing filler between other plants. It will also grow around the bases of large hardwoods where few other plants can survive.--A. Diamond

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Native

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