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.

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Tuesday - June 01, 2010

From: Belton, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I have a grandchild that said the seed pod on a plant that looks like a clover is edible. It has clover like leaves and a little yellow flower. I did taste it and it kind of taste like a pickle. This is a clover like plant that comes up in pot plants and in the garden freely.

ANSWER:

The plant sounds like Oxalis dillenii (slender yellow woodsorrel) or Oxalis stricta (common yellow oxalis). Both of these plants species occur in the general vicinity of Belton, Texas. There is a pink species, Oxalis drummondii (Drummond's woodsorrel), that also can be found in your area.

Here are photos from our Image Gallery:

Oxalis dillenii

Oxalis stricta