Wood Sorrel

A pretty woodland wildflower, with delicate white flowers that sit amongst distinctive citrus-green leaves. Once used in cooking for its lemony taste – but don’t eat too much raw as it can upset the stomach!

How to spot it

A low, creeping herb, with long-stalked, light green, trefoil-shaped leaves. The flowers have five white petals, veined in lilac or purple.

Where it grows

In woodland, on hedgerows, banks and in other moist, usually shaded, habitats throughout the British Isles.

Best time to see

In flower April to May, and sometimes a second time in summer.

How’s it doing?

Remaining widespread throughout the U.K., it is one of the few species able to survive the deep shade of conifer plantations.