Is Oxalis pes-caprae edible?
Oxalis pes-caprae is a perennial plant growing about 20cm tall and spreading rapidly to form large carpets of growth. The flowers, leaves and bulbs are all edible, being gathered from the wild and consumed locally. Plants spread rapidly when in a suitable environment and can quite easily become a weed in virtually frost-free environments [ 200
What is Oxalis pes caprae?
Oxalis pes-caprae is a perennial plant growing about 20cm tall and spreading rapidly to form large carpets of growth. The flowers, leaves and bulbs are all edible, being gathered from the wild and consumed locally.
Is Oxalis poisonous to humans?
Oxalis pes-caprae is often called by the common name sourgrass or soursob due to its pleasant sour flavor. This sourness is caused by the exceptionally high content of oxalic acid. The plant is palatable and in modest quantities is reasonably harmless to humans and livestock.
What is another name for Oxalis?
Oxalis pes-caprae ( African wood-sorrel, Bermuda buttercup, Bermuda sorrel, buttercup oxalis, Cape sorrel, English weed, goat's-foot, sourgrass, soursob or soursop; Afrikaans: suring) is a species of tristylous yellow-flowering plant in the wood sorrel family Oxalidaceae. Oxalis cernua is a less common synonym for this species.
Are all Oxalis edible?
(While edible, yes, Oxalis leaves should only be consumed in moderation due to the fact that oxalic acid can inhibit calcium absorption, and people who are prone to kidney stone or who have gout or rheumatism should avoid it entirely.)
Can you eat Bermuda buttercups?
The plant contains high levels of oxalic acid making it sour. Bermuda Buttercup has edible leaves, often used in salads.
Are sour grass flowers edible?
The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw. They are quite intense in flavor, very lemony and sour (in a good way). You wouldn't really use too many because of the strong flavor anyway, but just in case: do not overindulge as these plants are high in oxalic acid (hence the name.)
Is African wood sorrel edible?
Leaves, flowers, and seed pods (which resemble miniature okra fruits) are all edible. Wood sorrel will begin to wilt almost immediately after harvesting, so it's best eaten on the spot. Its tangy, somewhat sour flavor—reminiscent of citrus—makes it an excellent garnish in just about any salad.
Are buttercup leaves edible?
The buttercup taste is biting and acrid, stronger in some plants than others. Taste it and spit it out. The acrid properties of the buttercups are unstable and are destroyed by drying or cooking, so the very mild buttercups are edible as salad greens or pot herbs.
What can you use buttercups for?
Despite safety concerns, buttercup is used for arthritis, nerve pain, skin problems, and swelling (inflammation) of the main airways in the lung (bronchitis), but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Is Oxalis poisonous to humans?
While any oxalic acid-containing plant, such as Oxalis, is toxic to humans in some dosage, the U.S. National Institutes of Health note that oxalic acid is present in many foodstuffs found in the supermarket and its toxicity is generally of little or no consequence for people who eat a variety of foods.
What is Oxalis good for?
As a medicinal, woodsorrel has been used topically to cool skin, soothe the stomach, as a diuretic, and astringent. The plant is also useful in treating scurvy, fever, urinary tract infections, sore throats, nausea, and mouth sores.
What does Oxalis taste like?
Oxalis Triangularis, like rhubarb, contains oxalic acid; hence, use sparingly. The blossoms have a delightful lime-like flavor that is little tart, citrusy, peppery, and slightly sweet. The leaves are a spicy substitute for spinach and cabbage.
Is Oxalis and wood sorrel the same thing?
Wood Sorrel (genus Oxalis), or sourgrass, is a medium sized weed that occurs throughout most of North America. Within the genus Oxalis, there are several hundred species. Wood sorrel looks similar to clover and tends to get misidentified as clover.
Can wood sorrel make you sick?
and Warnings Wood sorrel is UNSAFE, especially when used when used in higher doses. Wood sorrel can cause diarrhea, nausea, increased urination, skin reactions, stomach and intestine irritation, eye damage, and kidney damage. Swelling of the mouth, tongue, and throat can make speaking and breathing difficult.
Can you eat purple Oxalis?
Goes great with. Also known as purple shamrock, purple oxalis is an edible plant related to sorrel, of which these are the flowers. It has a high concentration of oxalic acid, which gives it a tangy sour taste with citrus overtones. The leaves that grow on this plant are deep purple and triangular in shape.
Are buttercups toxic to eat?
Other Facts. The toxins in Buttercups are harmless after drying so are edible to cattle in the form of hay, when fresh the plant can cause blistering of the mouth or skin so is rarely eaten by animals in the field. It was thought that the colour of the flowers got into the milk the cows ate giving rise to yellow butter ...
What happens if u eat a buttercup?
Humans are rarely poisoned by buttercups because they taste so bad. It is not fatal in small amounts but a significant irritant that can make you ill with gastric distress.
Are buttercups toxic to humans?
All Ranunculus (buttercup) species are poisonous when eaten fresh, but their acrid taste and the blistering of the mouth caused by their poison means they are usually left uneaten.
Are buttercups poisonous when cooked?
Bulbous buttercup (R. bulbosus) has bulbous roots that are toxic when fresh but are said to be edible after they are well boiled or completely dried. The toxicity of Ranunculus species seems to be more of an issue for livestock than for humans.
Why is Oxalis pes-caprae so sour?
This sourness is caused by an exceptionally high content of oxalic acid .
How many sepals does Oxalis pes-caprae have?
The Oxalis pes-caprae flower is actinomorphic, with a calyx composed of five free or slightly fused sepals, a sympetalous corolla composed of five fused petals, an apoandrous androecium composed of ten free stamens in two ranks, and a compound pistil.
What is the name of the sourgrass plant?
Oxalis pes-caprae ( African wood-sorrel, Bermuda buttercup, Bermuda sorrel, buttercup oxalis, Cape sorrel, English weed, goat's-foot, sourgrass, soursob or soursop; Afrikaans: suring) is a species of tristylous yellow-flowering plant in the wood sorrel family Oxalidaceae. Oxalis cernua is a less common synonym for this species. Some of the most common names for the plant reference its sour taste owing to oxalic acid present in its tissues. Indigenous to South Africa, the plant has become a pest plant in different parts of the word that is difficult to eradicate because of how it propagates through underground bulbs .
Is Oxalis poisoning a serious concern?
Oxalis poisoning of stock is not a serious forage concern in South African pastures, unless exceptionally favoured by overgrazing .
Can oxalis cause stock loss?
However, in spite of its comparatively benign nature, where it has become dominant in pastures, as sometimes happens outside South Africa, Oxalis pes-caprae certainly can cause dramatic stock losses.
Do African Oxalis plants produce seed?
In the non-native range the plants largely reproduce vegetatively and many populations have only one style length and the plants never produce seed. Like most African Oxalis species, it produces adventitious subterranean propagules.
Is O. pes-caprae a host?
O. pes-caprae is also a host to broomrape, though it is not clear that that is of significance as a control agent.
Edible parts of Bermuda Buttercup
Leaves - raw or cooked. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet. Root - cooked.
Habitat of the herb
Roadsides and grassy places in S. Africa. Occasionally naturalized in S.W. England but it does not flower there.
Propagation of Bermuda Buttercup
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
Cultivation of the herb
Roadsides and grassy places in S. Africa. Occasionally naturalized in S.W. England but it does not flower there.
Known hazards of Oxalis pes-caprae
The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked.
General Information
Oxalis pes-caprae is a perennial plant growing about 20cm tall and spreading rapidly to form large carpets of growth.
Known Hazards
The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Root Edible Uses: Leaves - raw or cooked [2, 173]. A pleasant acid flavour, the make a pleasant addition to mixed salads, whilst children especially like to eat them on their own [K]. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet. Flowers - raw [K].
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Cultivation details
Easily grown in a sandy soil in a warm dry position [1]. This species is not very cold-hardy in Britain, though it is naturalized in parts of south-western England [1, 17]. It tolerates temperatures down to about -5°c [90].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Readers comment
More comprehensive details, medicinal properties, uses, botanical data, plant description and photogallery of high resolutions photos of this plant can be seen on an interesting website about the wild plants of Malta: www.maltawildplants.com
Overview
Invasive species
Indigenous to South Africa, Oxalis pes-caprae is an invasive species and noxious weed in many other parts of the world, including the United States (particularly coastal California), Europe, The Middle East and Australia.
The plant has a reputation for being very difficult to eliminate once it has spread over an area of land. The weed propagates largely through its underground bulbs and this is one reason why it i…
Name
Oxalis pes-caprae is often called by the common names sourgrass or soursop due to its moderately sour flavor. This sourness is caused by an exceptionally high content of oxalic acid.
The specific epithet pes-caprae means 'goat's-foot', possibly in reference to the shape of the leaf.
Description
The Oxalis pes-caprae flower is actinomorphic, with a calyx composed of five free or slightly fused sepals, a sympetalous corolla composed of five fused petals, an androecium composed of ten free stamens in two ranks, and a compound pistil. Native populations in South Africa are heterostylous, flowers of long-styled plants have a stigma held above the two ranks of stamens, mid-styled plants ha…
Uses
The plant is palatable and in modest quantities is reasonably harmless to humans and livestock. In South Africa it is a traditional ingredient in dishes such as waterblommetjiebredie ('water flower stew').
The plant has been used in various ways as a source of oxalic acid, as food, and in folk medicine. The raw bulbs have been used to deal with tapeworm and possibly other worms. The plant has b…
Hazards
The leaves or roots of Oxalis pes-caprae are used in some parts of the world as a food, although the high levels of calcium oxalate in the plant may bear some risks. Such risks can be reduced if the plant parts are boiled first. Oxalic acid is toxic in large quantities, a concern in regions such as southern Australia where Oxalis pes-caprae grows invasively in enormous quantities and in high densities. Various sources suggest that oxalis ingestion causes calcium oxalate kidney stones, …
External links
• Jepson Manual Treatment: Oxalis pes-caprae
• USDA Plants Profile
• Oxalis pes-caprae - Photo gallery
• Photo gallery of Oxalis pes-caprae, Flickr