Yellow Woodsorrel (Common Lawn Weed)
Oxalis stricta · Perennial broadleaf weed (often found mixed in turf)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass (Broadleaf weed commonly found in lawns)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9
Grass Family
Oxalidaceae (Not a true grass)
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type
About This Grass
Not a true grass, but a low-growing perennial weed easily mistaken for clover due to its distinctive heart-shaped, three-parted leaflets that fold at night. Produces small yellow flowers with five petals, followed by upright seed capsules that forcefully eject seeds when mature.
Blade Characteristics
Leaves are divided into three heart-shaped leaflets (trifoliate), yellowish-green to green, smooth-textured, lack true grass blades, vernation, ligules, or auricles.
Root System
Taproot system with branching stems that can root at the nodes where they touch the ground, forming dense patches.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to North America, widely distributed globally
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and branching from a taproot, forming low-growing mats
Sunlight & Water Needs
Thrives in full sun to partial shade; highly adaptable to various soil moisture levels and tolerates poor, dry soils.
Mowing & Maintenance
Resilient to frequent mowing, often surviving at low cutting heights by hugging the ground; controlled via broadleaf herbicides or hand-pulling.
Special Characteristics
High tolerance for compacted soils, acidic conditions, and low-fertility lawns; difficult to eradicate once established due to forceful seed dispersal.
Ecological Information
Commonly considered a persistent lawn weed, though it provides minor nectar sources for small pollinators and acts as an indicator of thin turf and compacted soil.