Carried by 27 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Sorrel or Oregon Oxalis (Oxalis oregana) is a species of the wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, native to moist coastal Douglas-fir and redwood forests of western North America from southwestern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. This area receives considerable summer moisture from fog drip. It is a short herbaceous perennial plant with erect flowering stems 5-15 centimeter tall. The three leaflets are heart-shaped, 1-4.5 centimeter long with purplish undersides, on 5-20 centimeter stalks. The leaflets prefer to be in shade and will fold up when exposed to sun. The flower cluster is 2.4-4 centimeter in diameter, white to pink with five petals and sepals. The hairy five-chambered seed capsules are egg-shaped, 7-9 millimeter long; seeds are almond shaped. This plant will spread into any area where there is moisture and some shade, but it is fairly easy to control because it is shallowly rooted.
Perennial herb
2 - 16 in Tall
6 ft Wide
Spreading
Fast
Pink, White
Spring, Winter
Containers, Deer resistant, Groundcover, Lawn alternative
Partial Shade
Moderate, High
Max 1x / month once established
Tolerates cold to 25° F
Medium
High organic content forest soil.
Soil PH: 5.0 - 8.0
Remove runners as needed
Rooted sections. For propagating by seed: No treatment. (Emery and Frey 1971).
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Moist, shady places; near woodland streams and creeks. Typically under redwood trees or large woodland shrubs.
Douglas-Fir Forest, Redwood Forest
Use with other shade and moisture loving forest plants such as Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum), Redwood Violet (Viola sempervirens), Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), Common Trillium (Trillium chloropetalum), and Fawn Lily (Erythronium spp.).
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 4 likely
Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens
The Wedgling
Galgula partita
Virginian Tiger Moth
Spilosoma virginica