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Oxalidaceae
Oxalis

not marked as a favorite taxon Oxalis montana Rafinesque. Common name: American Wood-sorrel, White Wood-sorrel, Forest Shamrock. Phenology: May-Jul. Habitat: Spruce-fir forests, northern hardwood forests, restricted to high elevations southwards. Distribution: QC and NY west to SK, south to GA, NC, and TN.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Other Comments: Closely related to the Eurasian O. acetosella, and sometimes treated as a geographic subspecies or phase of it (see synonymy).

Synonymy ⓘ: = F, FNA12, K4, NE, NY, S, Tn, Va, WV; = Oxalis acetosella L. ssp. montana (Raf.) Hultén ex D.Löve — Robertson (1975); < Oxalis acetosella L. — C, G, Mi, Pa, RAB, S13, W. Basionym: Oxalis montana Raf. 1818

Links to other floras: = Oxalis montana - FNA12

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 2

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image #1 of Oxalis montana© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Oxalis montana© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Oxalis montana© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Oxalis montana© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Oxalis montana© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Oxalis montana© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, often colonial perennial of spruce-fir forests and northern hardwood forests, at high elevations.

Stems: Leaves and flowering stalks separate, arising from creeping rhizome.

Leaves: Leaves long-petioled, divided into 3 clover-like, heart-shaped leaflets 1/2-1 in. wide each and sparsely hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers solitary on a hairy stalk slightly taller than leaves, white to pale pink veined with pink or purple, about ¾ in. wide, consisting of 5 petals, each with a scalloped tip and a yellow spot along with a pink band near the base; there are 5 sepals with flat tips and 10 unequal stamens.

Fruits: Fruit a smooth, rounded or flattened capsule. When mature, fruit splits and flings seeds.

Comments: As with some other Oxalis species, self-pollinating flowers that look like buds are produced at the base of the plant.

Height: 3-6 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect, often colonial perennial of spruce-fir forests and northern hardwood forests, at high elevations.

stems: Leaves and flowering stalks separate, arising from creeping rhizome.

leaves: Leaves long-petioled, divided into 3 clover-like, heart-shaped leaflets 1/2-1 in. wide each and sparsely hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers solitary on a hairy stalk slightly taller than leaves, white to pale pink veined with pink or purple, about ¾ in. wide, consisting of 5 petals, each with a scalloped tip and a yellow spot along with a pink band near the base; there are 5 sepals with flat tips and 10 unequal stamens.

fruits: Fruit a smooth, rounded or flattened capsule. When mature, fruit splits and flings seeds.

comments: As with some other Oxalis species, self-pollinating flowers that look like buds are produced at the base of the plant.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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