# Oregon woodsorrel (*Oxalis oregana*) Oregon woodsorrel is a small plant with pretty green leaves that look like little hearts. It grows in shady forests and has bright yellow flowers that bloom in springtime. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Oregon woodsorrel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oxalis_oregana_06112.JPG&width=800) Photo: CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oxalis_oregana_06112.JPG) ## Appearance The Oregon woodsorrel has clover-like, heart-shaped green leaves, often with a purple underside, that fold up at night. Its delicate white to pinkish-purple flowers bloom on slender stalks, featuring five petals and bright yellow stamens. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Oxalidales - **Family:** Oxalidaceae - **Genus:** Oxalis ## Interesting facts - Each leaf is made of three perfect heart shapes joined together! - It closes its leaves tight when it rains, like a tiny umbrella! - Its flowers glow in the dark under UV light, guiding pollinators! - Some call it 'redwood sorrel' as it loves giant redwood forests! ## Special abilities - **Sleeping Leaves:** Oregon woodsorrel can fold its leaves down at night, like sleeping, which helps it save energy and protect itself from cold or bright light. - **Forest Carpet:** Oregon woodsorrel has underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread widely and quickly create dense green carpets in forests. - **Shade Seeker:** Oregon woodsorrel has special pigments that help it thrive in deep shade, soaking up sunlight where other plants struggle. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Spread:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Its flowers provide nectar for visiting bees. - **Eaten by:** [Banana Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/banana-slug) (*Ariolimax columbianus*) — A food source for the large banana slug. - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Occasionally browsed by deer in forest understories. - **Shelter:** [Rough-skinned Newt](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rough-skinned-newt) (*Taricha granulosa*) — Provides damp, shady cover for amphibians. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or tasting any plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Oregon woodsorrel? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Oregon woodsorrel? 5-15 cm ### How wide does Oregon woodsorrel spread? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Oregon woodsorrel? 1-2 cm ### When does Oregon woodsorrel bloom? Spring to Summer ### Is Oregon woodsorrel edible? Yes ### Is Oregon woodsorrel toxic? Mild ### What is Oregon woodsorrel's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bloedel Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloedel-reserve) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Carl S. English, Jr., Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carl-s-english-jr-botanical-gardens) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Clatsop State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clatsop-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest - [Hoh Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoh-rainforest) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Leach Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leach-botanical-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Nisqually Entrance Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nisqually-entrance-historic-district) — Washington, US · Historic District [View all places to see Oregon woodsorrel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/oregon-woodsorrel) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Oregon woodsorrel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oregon-woodsorrel)