WOOD SORREL
Take time to notice the little things as you walk through the woodlands in spring and summer. One of the first to carpet the understorey is white-flowered, lemon-tasting wood sorrel.
Thriving on the edges of woodlands and hedgerows across the British Isles, abundantly flowering wood sorrel (Oxalis
acetosella) provides a feast of pollen and nectar for early pollinators.
The whole plant is edible to humans – the tangy, tender leaves are ideal as a thirst-quenching, mid-walk pick-me-up or taken home to make tea or add a lemony zing to salads, desserts, soup or fish dishes. Where and how to find it
Carpets of wood sorrel proliferate at the base of trees where the ground is damp and shady and has been left undisturbed for long periods of time. Follow the earthy smell of moss as you wander through the woods in early to mid-spring and you’re likely to find clumps of this native perennial arising from light-dappled soil, but also from mossy tree stumps. Wood sorrel prefers wellestablished woodland and is therefore considered an indicator of ancient forests.
The plant’s distinctive foliage – three brightgreen heart-shaped leaflets joined at the tips that emerge in a rosette from which delicate nodding stems of white, purple-veined flowers arise – makes it easy to recognise. Forage the plant sparingly to avoid disturbing the ecology, or grow some in your own garden. It looks especially pretty at sunrise, just after the flowers and leaves open after folding up for the night – security against stormy weather and high dew.
Traditional uses
Wood sorrel was traditionally used as a medicinal herb to treat scurvy and mouth ulcers – it is now known to be high in vitamin C – as well as relieve nausea and digestive issues. The acid taste
(Oxalis meaning sour, acetosella meaning vinegar salts) is due to the presence of oxalic acid, also found in rhubarb, coffee and Rumex species of sorrel. Too much of this crystallising compound can cause kidney stones and slow blood clotting, so only ingest wood sorrel in small quantities; avoid it if you have health issues.
Due to its Easter appearance, wood sorrel was named ‘alleluia’ by monks, a fitting greeting for one of our loveliest harbingers of warmer weather.