Colours and shapes
Wood sorrel, whose botanical name is Oxalis, has clover-shaped leaves that come in green, green-purple, and purple-grey. The flowers that bloom on the plant are either white, pink, yellow or red. Both leaf and flower close up at night, ready to greet the world once more, the following morning.
The leaves, flowers and stems of this plant are all edible, and have a sharp citrus lime flavour. Use the flowers to elevate a starter or salad, and cook the leaves and stems in a stew to boost flavour.
Origin
Wood sorrel is found all over the world. Oxalis is derived from the Greek oxus or oxys (acid), and wood sorrel gets its name from the leaves that contain oxalic acid as a self-defense. That's where the slightly sour taste comes from.
Trivia
Thanks to its heart-shaped leaves, the white wood sorrel competes with the more traditional clover for the position of the real-life Irish shamrock.
