Wood sorrel

Wood sorrel is a delicate and unassuming plant, but it is extremely versatile and can be found in almost every forest.

Wood sorrel has been used in folk medicine to treat skin problems and scurvy, amongst other things, and can have a refreshing, cooling and thirst-quenching effect. It has also been used to treat heartburn, abdominal pain, stomach cramps, flatulence and gastrointestinal cramps. The plant is also often used in spring as part of a spring detox, as it contains a large amount of vitamin C and may help to stimulate the metabolism, appetite and digestion.

Friedrich Losch wrote: “From herbal books: Eaten or drunk, wood sorrel quenches thirst, is good for the stomach, cools the overheated liver, refreshes and strengthens the heart and all in all has the same effect as sorrel” (Losch, 1997, p. 72).

Applied externally, the plant’s juice can provide relief for insect bites, minor burns and small wounds.

The leaves can be collected from March to May and have a fresh, lemony and tangy flavour. Even when they are somewhat older, they are still tender and flavourful. They are ideal as a small, refreshing snack when walking in the woods.

The leaves together with the stems can be used raw or cooked as an ingredient in soups, salads, smoothies or pesto and can serve as a substitute for lemons or vinegar in a herbal quark or in sauces. Moreover, the plant is ideal for making a refreshing, tangy ice cream. You can also make a refreshing lemonade from the leaves. For this purpose, you need about 50 grams of herbs per litre of water and a sweetener such as pear syrup.

The flowers appear from April to May and can be used as a tasty decoration. Thanks to their heart-shaped form, the leaves are also ideal for garnishing baked goods, soups, salads or desserts.

The roots can be finely chopped and used to flavour vegetable dishes.

Note: Wood sorrel contains oxalic acid and should therefore only be consumed in small amounts. When consumed in larger quantities, it is considered to be slightly toxic. During cooking, however, the amount of oxalic acid is reduced. If you suffer from kidney problems, you should not use the plant at all.

Wood sorrel grows on acidic forest soils in distinctly shady and cool to moist spots in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. It is considered one of the most shade-tolerant native wild plants. Even at 1/160 of normal daylight levels, it can still perform photosynthesis. This is why it is sometimes the only ground cover in dark forests.

At night, in strong sunlight or in rainy weather, the wood sorrel folds its leaves down like an umbrella. This reduces the surface area, meaning that less water evaporates, which protects it from drying out. At the same time, the delicate leaves are protected from mechanical damage caused by raindrops.

The plant can grow up to 20 cm high. The leaves are clover-shaped, trifoliate, heart-shaped and with long stalks. The flower has five petals and five sepals. The petals are white to pale pink in colour and have distinct reddish-purple veins.

Despite its name, the wood sorrel is not related to the well-known species of clover. Although it also has trifoliate leaves, its flower shape clearly distinguishes it from the real clover species. These have five-petalled papilionaceous flowers, whereas the wood sorrel has five-petalled radially symmetrical flowers.

Bibliography: Losch, F. (1997). Kräuterbuch. Oldenbourg: Bechtermünz Verlag.
Images: by Dominik Imhof