Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - May 17, 2010
From: Jacksonville, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources
Title: Trying to find a plant called sheepshire
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hey there Mr. Smarty Plants, just one question. As a child in east Tennessee, we picked plants called sheepshire that looked like small clover leafs and had small yellow blooms. One could chew these leaves and they had a bitter-like taste. Is this true sheepshire or something else? Thanks.ANSWER:
I think you must mean woodsorrel, Oxalis spp. The plants of this genus have clover-like leaves and a sour taste due to the oxalic acid that they contain. Here are four species of Oxalis with yellow flowers that are native to Tennessee:
Oxalis dillenii (slender yellow woodsorrel)
Oxalis grandis (great yellow woodsorrel)
Oxalis priceae (tufted yellow woodsorrel)
Oxalis stricta (common yellow oxalis)
There is another plant called sheep's sorrel (sort of close to sheepshire), Rumex acetosella, a native of Europe, and a native one, Rumex hastatulus (heartwing sorrel), that I remember as a child in East Texas chewing on the stem and that we called the plant "sourweed". Here's an article about both Oxalis and Rumex.
Delena Tull in Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest says, "Rumex hastatulus and R. acetosella, both commonly called sheep sorrel, have a pickle-sour flavor similar to that of Oxalis."
Oxalic acid is the compound in both Oxalis and Rumex that causes the sour flavor. In small portions it is harmless but large amounts can be toxic. Rumex spp. and Oxalis spp. can be toxic, but only if large quantities are consumed. Also, Rumex spp. can be toxic to livestock in large quantities.
So, what is true sheepshire? I don't really know. In the references I found it sounded as if they were describing either Oxalis sp. or Rumex sp. It seems to be a term that refers to sour-tasting weeds that you chew in the spring.
Here are photos from our Image Gallery:
More Seed and Plant Sources Questions
Who does pecan grafting in Brownsville, TX?
June 29, 2009 - Who does pecan tree grafting in Brownsville TX?
I planted a pecan. It is now about 8' tall, and about 3 years old.
view the full question and answer
Source for Texas Star plant from Bastrop LA
June 10, 2010 - Please tell me where I can get a Texas Star plant?
view the full question and answer
Restoring the woods in Central Austin.
May 08, 2012 - I live in Austin, south central between Red Bud trail close to the low water bridge and Bee Caves road. My question: I want to make the wooded sections of my yard attractive. They have filtered sun...
view the full question and answer
Finding Buffalograss Sod in the Houston Area
January 23, 2011 - Do you have a source for Buffalo Grass plugs or sod in the Magnolia/ Houston area?
view the full question and answer
Sources of Rosa acicularis for research
March 25, 2007 - I am a professor at the University of Nebraska and would like to obtain some Rosa acicularis plants to do research with. Can you tell me how to purchase them.
Thanks.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |