The sour taste of Bermuda buttercup and other members of the genus is due to the presence of oxalic acid, which is also found in spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, grapefruit, chives and rhubarb. Fruits are a narrow capsule described as “explosively dehiscent”. Flowers consist of five clawed, radial petals ranging from yellow to white to purplish or pinkish. Members of the genus are characteristically herbaceous annuals or perennials with fibrous or woody roots, often producing bulbs, tubers or rhizomes, with palmate leaves with three small leaflets (arranged in a typical “clover” fashion). The genus Oxalis is the only member of the family represented in California and the continental United States. In addition to “lucky clover” AKA “four-leaf clover” (Oxalis tetraphylla), is the sensitivity plant (Biophytumspp.), whose leaves fold up when touched. The family consists of only five genera with around 880 species. The oxalis family (Oxalidaceae) is distributed across the tropics, subtropics and temperate regions of North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Also known as sour grass, for its lemony-tasting peduncles, Bermuda buttercup is an aggressive weed on moist, loamy slopes near the coast, forming dense, lush green patches in the spring, dying back to copious numbers of buried bulbs when the rains cease. Aside from creeping woodsorrel, perhaps none is more notorious along the Central Coast than Bermuda buttercup (O. Still, a few species have naturalized in California. At least eight non-native species of oxalis may be encountered in our local gardens, although most are rarely found outside of cultivated areas. ![]() Growing up in the nursery business, I recall very clearly weeding potted plants full of creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata) and having its seed pods explode in my face. A popular potted plant in its own right, the genus includes many species of weeds that appear spontaneously in potted plants and lawns. Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.If you garden in San Francisco, or just about anywhere in the western U.S., you’re likely familiar with Oxalis. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition. ![]() The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked. 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. Known hazards of Oxalis pes-caprae: The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. ![]() Medicinal use of Bermuda Buttercup: None known 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.Ĭultivation of the herb: Roadsides and grassy places in S. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Propagation of Bermuda Buttercup: Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Habitat of the herb: Roadsides and grassy places in S.
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