Herb in My Yard

Question
I have a clover-like plant growing (on its own) in my yard. It grows in small clusters - leaves are green, almost heart shaped. Yellow flowers grow on top of a succulant-like stem. The stem is lemon tasting (we looked at pictures online and found Oxalis looked like our plant). My husband said the entire plant (leave, stems, flowers) are safe to eat and good for us! True? What is this little wild plant?


Answer
Hi Kelly,



Yes. There is over a thousand species of Oxalis (Wood sorrell) world wide. Eight hundred in this country alone.



Oxalis



Oxalis is a pretty little plant, often called Sourgrass or Wood Sorrel. The leaves are clover-shaped and the flowers are borne above the neat mounds of foliage. Flowers are pinkish-purple, yellow, or white. When it is cloudy or rainy or nighttime, the flowers all close and the leaves fold over to conserve moisture. Some non-invasive varieties have beautiful purple or purple-pink foliage in interesting shapes. Oxalis leaves are edible and have a pleasant kind of tart-sour lemon taste. Oxalis contains Oxalic Acid, so should be eaten in moderation.



Oxalis is a bulb, and an energetic bulb at that. Invasive types quickly create offset bulbs for more plants, and also send out lateral runners, thus spreading rapidly in all directions. Though the plants produce seed, the seed has never been proven to be viable, and thus nobody really knows how the plant overtakes so much terrain so quickly, jumping across roads, over rivers, and into containers and window boxes on tall structures with apparent ease. Bulbs form a dense mat underground, choking out the roots of other plants. Foliage and flowers form dense clumps above ground, robbing lower growing plants of space and light, in addition to the the root competition. Lateral runners travel fast and look similar to white icicles. The picture to the right is a clump I pulled up showing brown bulbs on the bottom, then white runners, and then stems and leaves. Oxalis will give even other aggressive plants a real run for their money, and will quickly and successfully muscle out many landscape plants, some much bigger than the Oxalis itself.



Oxalis is not one of the heavyweights in the herb world because of it's high Oxalic Acid content. Oxalic acid occurs naturally in small amounts in many vegetables and fruits, including rhubarb, spinach, mustard greens, poppy seeds, sweet potatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, strawberries, mangoes, tomatoes, and parsnips, to name a few. Too much Oxalic Acid binds with other nutrients, making them inaccessible to the body, and the acid itself is strong, causing irritation to tissues. Eating too much of a plant high in Oxalic Acid can cause digestive problems and kidney problems, and at extremely high doses it can be fatal. Taken in small quantities is perfectly safe, however, except for people with kidney disease or kidney stones, gout, or rheumatoid arthritis, who should avoid it if at all possible.



Having said that, Oxalis does have some limited medicinal uses for minor complaints. It's cooling action appears to help reduce the discomfort of fevers taken in a tea made at 1 ounce of herb to 1 pint of water. There is some indication that taken in small doses of no more than 2 fluid ounces, Oxalis can provide some relief from urinary tract infections.? Taken as a gargle it also seems to have some effect on mouth sores or ulcers. Externally, it appears to be of benefit when made into an ointment for cuts, scrapes, rashes, and skin infections.



Oxalis is actually quite tasty. It has a tangy, tart, lemony taste that goes very well with many foods, especially salads and fish. If ever you want to wow your friends on a camping trip, locate some Oxalis and add it to whatever the fare for the day is. Use the leaves fresh in salads or beans, or chop and sprinkle on fish over the fire for a unique lemony taste that will draw raves (get rid of the tough stems first, though). The plant does contain Oxalic Acid, but if you just use it as a compliment to the main meal or an addition to a side dish, this plant is perfectly safe for ingestion, and when cooked, the Oxalic Acid is much reduced anyway. At home, use Oxalis in place of lemon for a subtly different taste. Add to sauces, soups, salads, greens, beans, or peas for a refreshing spark.



SUMMER SOUP:



For a delicious cold soup in summer, harvest 1 cup of fresh Oxalis leaves and chop a few large green onions or one small red, white, or yellow onion. Boil in one quart of water for 7 minutes or so - just until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and refrigerate for about 4 hours. Add a spoonful of sour cream at serving time, and add an Oxalis bloom for color, and you have a free, refreshing, lemony tasting, nutritious summer soup!  



Best wishes,

Dennis