Species PlantsMountain Wood Sorrel

Mountain Wood Sorrel

Oxalis montana

CommonPlant
Illustration of Mountain Wood Sorrel (Oxalis montana)

Mountain Wood Sorrel is a delicate groundcover of cool northern and montane forests, producing trifoliate clover-like leaves and white flowers delicately veined with pink. Native to northeastern North America and the Appalachians, it forms carpets on the forest floor in cool, moist, acidic habitats often alongside ferns and mosses. The leaves fold down at night and in strong sunlight. It is the characteristic groundcover plant of spruce-fir forests in the Northeast.

Habitat
Found in cool, moist, acidic spruce-fir and northern hardwood forests in the Northeast and Appalachians.
Diet
Flowers pollinated by small native bees; seeds dispersed by ants.
How common
Common

Recent Mountain Wood Sorrel sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spot a Mountain Wood Sorrel? Identify it instantly.

Point Huck at any plant or animal and get an instant ID, rarity, and field notes — building your personal nature collection as you go.

Get Huck — free

More plants

Adam's Needle
Adam's Needle
Yucca filamentosa
Adonis Blazingstar
Adonis Blazingstar
Mentzelia multiflora
Allegheny Blackberry
Allegheny Blackberry
Rubus allegheniensis
Allegheny Monkeyflower
Allegheny Monkeyflower
Mimulus ringens
Allegheny Serviceberry
Allegheny Serviceberry
Amelanchier laevis
American Alumroot
American Alumroot
Heuchera americana
American Basswood
American Basswood
Tilia americana
American Beautyberry
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana