Plant of the Week: Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

An exploration of the medicinal, culinary, and magical uses of plants.

Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash

(This essay is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult with a physician or expert before using any plant for medicinal or culinary purposes.)

Wood sorrel looks much like clover, but the two plants aren’t related. Unlike clover, wood sorrel has more defined heart shaped leaves and its flowers have five distinct petals.

It is one of the early spring plants, often beginning to send up growth as soon as the soil begins to warm. The yellow wood sorrel, with its small yellow blossoms, is a common variety in North America.

Correspondences

• Wood sorrel is of the Earth element and the divine feminine. The elemental period for Earth runs from the Winter Solstice in December through Spring Equinox in March.
• Although wood sorrel isn’t directly associated to any deities, it is often thought of as one of the “fairy plants” that connect with the realms of the fae.
• Healing and health, including physical and mental, are the main purview of wood sorrel.

Contraindications

• Wood sorrel contains oxalate, which can cause stomach upset if you are not used to it. Do not eat wood…