"Sour Grass," Or, Wood Sorrel

This was my first wild edible! 

When I was a little girl my Daddy showed me this plant and called it, "Sour Grass."

And he showed me the seed pods and called them, "Pickles."

He ate some and he told me I could, too. Yum! Boy, was it sour! But, I have always liked sour flavors.

The common name for what my Dad and I call, "Sour Grass," is Wood Sorrel. The scientific name for this variant of Wood Sorrel is Oxalis stricta.

Oxalis stricta contains Oxalic acid and is a good thirst quencher, and, also, just a yummy sour snack.

The leaves are comprised of three, heart shaped, leaflets.

The flowers have five, yellow, petals.

The seed pods stand upright and are pointed at the tip. They look like tiny okra pods.

All parts of Sour Grass are edible, leaves, stems, flowers, and seed pods. I recommend eating the seed pods before the seeds have matured and become hard.

Sour Grass and Sour Grass Pickles are a delectable and special edible weed to me. 

I am glad to have memories of my Father teaching me my first wild edible plant. He cultivated a love for learning about life in the natural world around me. He would take me out in the back yard and ask me, "What kind of tree is that?" Then he would tell me what kind of tree it was. Whenever we'd take walks he'd quiz my knowledge. It was like a fun game we'd play.

Now I am privileged to be able to do the same thing with my children. Their little minds pick up information so quickly. They really love being outside and learning about the plants and animals! And, I really love getting to teach them what I know!