Oxalis oregana
| Oxalis oregana | |
| Light: |    |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Oxalis oregana (common name: redwood sorrel)
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. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation: Easily grown in a moisture-retentive humus-rich soil in shade or dappled sunlight[1]. Succeeds in dense shade[2].
Grows well in a wild or woodland garden[1]. Plants can be very invasive when in suitable conditions[3].
Range: Western N. America - Washington to California.
Habitat: Redwood forests[2]. Moist woods[3].
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked[4][5][6]. A mass of the leaves and stems can be allowed to ferment slightly when they make a tasty dessert[5]. A sort of rhubarb pie can be made from the leaf stalks[5]. Use in moderation, see notes above on toxicity.
Medicinal: A decoction of the whole plant has been used as a wash in the treatment of rheumatism[6].
The fresh juice of the plant has been used as eye drops to ease sore eyes[6].
A poultice of the wilted leaves has been used as a dressing on boils, sores and on swollen areas of the skin[6].
Usage: A good ground cover plant for a woodland garden[7][8], though it can be invasive[3]. It needs weeding for the first year or so[7].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
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. Th
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Napier, Elspeth. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells, 1989.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.