Its three heart-shaped leaflets resemble clover, often leading to confusion, but it’s unrelated to true clovers.
Leaves, flowers, and seed pods have a pleasant sour flavor due to oxalic acid and are sometimes used in salads or as a trailside snack (in moderation).
Produces bright yellow, five-petaled flowers from spring through fall, often blooming continuously in the right conditions.
Mature seed capsules explode when touched, flinging seeds several feet away—an adaptation for wide dispersal.
Indigenous people used it for cooling teas and poultices; however, high oxalic acid means it should be consumed sparingly.
Its three heart-shaped leaflets resemble clover, often leading to confusion, but it’s unrelated to true clovers.
Leaves, flowers, and seed pods have a pleasant sour flavor due to oxalic acid and are sometimes used in salads or as a trailside snack (in moderation).
Produces bright yellow, five-petaled flowers from spring through fall, often blooming continuously in the right conditions.
Mature seed capsules explode when touched, flinging seeds several feet away—an adaptation for wide dispersal.
Indigenous people used it for cooling teas and poultices; however, high oxalic acid means it should be consumed sparingly.
Bloom: late spring to early fall
Habitats: areas along parking lots; areas along railroads; construction sites; edges of driveways; gardens; grassy meadows; landfills; lawns; open woodlands; roadsides; sunny waste areas; vacant lots
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: mesic to dry-mesic
Plant type (height): forb (3 to 8 inches)
Requirements: full sun to partial sun
Soil: clay-loam; gravelly loam; loam; sandy loam
