Yellow woodsorrel

Common Name:

woodsorrel, yellow

Scientific Name:

Oxalis stricta

Family:

Oxalidaceae

Lifecycle:

Perennial

Features

Trifoliate leaves with cordate (heart-shaped) leaflets. Stems with light pubescence with hairs lying flat on stem. Solitary yellow five petal flowers one to two cm in diameter on singular or multiple stalks. Fruit is an elongated pod that explosively dehisces when dry.

Description

Difficult to control perennial broadleaf weed common in thin turf. Seems more common in tall fescue turf than bermudagrass turf. Only found in areas mowed above one inch mowing height. Common weed of greenhouses and in container nurseries due to the explosively dehiscent seed. Chemical control can be difficult often requiring multiple applications of multiple herbicide mixtures.