I have this stuff growing everywhere and I don't know if it's a good nitrogen fixing clover, and generally beneficial like other clover , or if it's more of a "weed". I tend to put it in the clover class and let it go, but I found a really big patch and I don't know if I should just keep it.
by danglero
12 Comments
Bad it’s the jumping seeds variation
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Not a kind of clover.
I call it “wankweed” because of what happens when you rub the ripe seed pods.
Wood sorrel. *Oxalis stricta.* Common plant native to North America. It’s not a legume so no I don’t think it fixes nitrogen
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I’d also like to quickly pick apart the idea of a beneficial plant vs ‘weed’. You may already know all this, but I like to post this info for people reading along in the sub.
A weed is just a plant in a place you don’t want it to be. All plants are beneficial in that they build up organic matter in your soil, which is one of the most essential components of a healthy soil microbiome. Nitrogen fixers get all the accolades but that’s only one small part of a much larger picture.
Native plants have multiple points of interaction with the biome both below and above the soil, which in turn unlocks a lot of add on benefits to any garden. This includes bringing in both pollinators and also predators of common garden pests, and building up the soil food web. (Invasive plants broadly speaking do the opposite). The more intact the food web is underground, the more healthy and productive your soil becomes.
Assuming you are somewhere wood sorrel is native to, this plant has a lot of benefits. The negatives are that it spreads really rapidly and can spread a lot of seeds. However I’ll note its SUPER easy to weed out. You can quickly move through and clear out all the sorrel in a few minutes.
So really the question is more of an aesthetic one. Do you hate how it looks or find it annoying? If so, it’s a weed. If you’re asking if the plant is helpful, yes it is. But ultimately it’s your garden and you decide what is a weed or isn’t! 🙂
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My chickens’ favorite green snack.
Also, they pull up really easily, if you find them running the place.
I used to call this dwarf clover until I learned it was wood sorrel…the purple little clover is black medic, common yard weed in northeast US
that looks delicious