radishroot woodsorrel
Oxalis albicans Kunth
This woodsorrel forms low leafy shoots from a perennial base. Flora of North America describes several stems spreading or lying along the ground, with some rising upward and occasionally rooting at a node. Their bases become woody with age. Unlike many familiar garden oxalis, this species lacks bulbs, stolons and rhizomes. Flora of North America: Oxalis albicans
Botanical name
Kew accepts Oxalis albicans Kunth as a species, matching the catalog. Kew POWO: Oxalis albicans
Recognizing the plant
Each leaf is divided into three small leaflets, shaped like hearts with their notches at the outer ends. The foliage ranges from grey-green to yellowish-green, sometimes with a pale waxy cast. Yellow flowers are usually solitary or paired, occasionally in groups of three, and generally sit at leaf level. Fine hairs cover the stems and elongated capsules. These fruits are angular and cylindrical, narrowing abruptly at the tip; the brown seeds have transverse ridges. Flora of North America: Oxalis albicans
Bloom window
Southwestern United States flora account
Flowers occur from April through August, sometimes continuing into October. Flora of North America: Oxalis albicans
Native range
Kew records it from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas into northeastern Mexico and parts of Central America. Within the North American flora area, it grows in desert scrub, grassland, wooded canyons, stream margins and disturbed places. Kew POWO: Oxalis albicansFlora of North America: Oxalis albicans
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.