Creeping Woodsorrel
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Creeping Woodsorrel is comprised of low-growing stems and leaves. The leaves are made up of three small leaflets with an oval to cordate shape, and each leaflet averages 1 to 1.8 centimeters in diameter. The dark green to purple-green leaves grow in an alternate arrangement along the stems and have a smooth, taut, and delicate nature. One distinct characteristic of the variety is the prominent crease down the center of each leaflet. The leaflets will open and fold along this line, depending on light and temperature. The red-green stems are semi-thick, fleshy, and crisp. Creeping Woodsorrel is mostly foraged for its leaves, but the stems and seasonal yellow flowers are also edible. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked and have a crisp, succulent, and tender consistency. Raw Creeping Woodsorrel is known for its distinctly tangy, bright, acidic, and refreshing taste with lemon-like, herbal, and green nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Creeping Woodsorrel is available year-round in tropical climates. In temperate regions, the leaves are typically harvested for culinary use from spring to fall.
Current Facts
Creeping Woodsorrel, botanically classified as Oxalis corniculata, is a wild species belonging to the Oxalidaceae family. The Oxalis genus contains between 550 and 850 species worldwide, and Oxalis corniculata is one of the most widespread species found on every continent. It is also important to note that Creeping Woodsorrel is similar in appearance to Common Yellow Woodsorrel, Oxalis stricta, but these species are distinct and separate plants. Creeping Woodsorrel is a low-growing, herbaceous plant reaching up to thirty centimeters in height. The plant creeps along the ground, forming dense, carpet-like colonies, and most of the plant is considered edible in small quantities, making it a popular foraged culinary ingredient. Creeping Woodsorrel is known by several regional names worldwide, including Acedera, Acedera Asiática, Vinagrillo, Agritos, Vinagrillo Rastrero, and Acedera Chupa Chupa in Spanish, Sikap Dada in Malaysia, Phak Waen, Som Din, and Som Sangka in Thailand, Daun Asem Kecil, Semangnen, and Calingcing in Indonesia, Katabami in Japan, and Indian sorrel, False Shamrock, and Asian sorrel as general names in English. Throughout history, Creeping Woodsorrel has primarily remained a wild species and is occasionally labeled a weed in some regions. Various parts of the plants, especially the leaves, are foraged for culinary and medicinal preparations. In the modern day, Creeping Woodsorrel is also cultivated on a small scale in home gardens for use in fresh and cooked culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Creeping Woodsorrel is a source of vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and niacin. Vitamin C helps to strengthen the immune system and assists the body in repairing tissues and producing collagen. Calcium contributes to supporting bones and teeth, iron develops the protein hemoglobin that works to transport oxygen through the body, and phosphorus is a component in creating adenosine triphosphate, also known as the main energy source for the body. In natural medicines worldwide, Creeping Woodsorrel is used for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Portions of the plant are typically incorporated into infusions and decoctions and are used as a diuretic, a cure for intestinal parasites, heartburn, and diarrhea. The leaves are also crushed and mixed with other ingredients as a topical paste for swelling, insect bites, and skin irritations. Creeping Woodsorrel leaves contain oxalic acid, an organic compound that can bind and prevent calcium absorption if consumed in large quantities. The plants should only be consumed in small amounts, and cooking helps to lessen the overall oxalic acid content.
Applications
Creeping Woodsorrel has a bright, tangy, green, and vegetal taste suited for fresh or cooked preparations. The leaves, flowers, and stems are edible and are popularly added to salads and as an herb in sweet or savory dishes. Creeping Woodsorrel leaves can also be blended and frozen into sorbet, added to marinades, dressings, and sauces, or minced and folded into yogurt as a creamy dip. Try incorporating Creeping Woodsorrel into egg dishes or tearing and sprinkling over vegetable sides. The leaves can also be steeped in hot water and made into tea or sweetened and served as a chilled beverage. In addition to fresh preparations, Creeping Woodsorrel is simmered into soups and curries, folded into rice-based dishes, or added to casseroles. The greens can also be added to pasta and mixed into ancient grains or used in small quantities as flavoring in desserts such as crisps, panna cotta, jams, and jellies. Creeping Woodsorrel pairs well with herbs such as rosemary, basil, and dill, cinnamon, elderflower, rhubarb, and vanilla. Freshly harvested leaves should be immediately used for the best quality and flavor. The greens may be kept for an additional day or two when stored in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer, but the storage life depends on the leaves' maturity and quality.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Creeping Woodsorrel is often nicknamed the Sleeping Beauty plant as its flowers and leaves open and close throughout the day and night. This phenomenon is known as nyctinasty and is a natural response to changes in light and temperature. Most nyctinastic plants have a blue-green pigment called phytochrome in the leaves that helps the plants detect changing light through red and far-red light levels. It is said that there is more red light emitted by the sun during the day, while far-red light occurs at the end of the day before night. Nyctinastic plants use phytochrome to create a kind of circadian rhythm within the leaves. The leaves also contain a pulvinus, which is a joint-like spot at the base of the leaf that operates as a natural pully to open and close the leaves. The pulvinus changes the leaf’s turgor pressure through fluid in the cells to alter the positioning of the leaves, making them open and close throughout the day and night. Beyond its distinct movement traits, Creeping Woodsorrel has remained an ancient species that often symbolizes resilience. The plants can thrive in harsh conditions and develop dense populations, acting as a spiritual symbol of perseverance and tenacity.
Geography/History
Oxalis corniculata is believed to be native to Asia and has been growing wild since ancient times. Much of the species' history is unknown, but several archaeobotanical reports of seeds from the species have been documented throughout China. These seeds are thought to date back to between 5050 and 1050 BCE. Early evidence of Oxalis corniculata was also found in Japan, India, and parts of Southeast Asia. Oxalis corniculata is hypothesized to have been introduced to Oceania through early trade routes, and over time, the species spread into Europe, Australia, and Africa. It is unknown when Oxalis corniculata was carried to the Americas, but most studies claim no current evidence of the species' presence before the 19th century. Regardless of its murky origins, Oxalis corniculata is widespread in the modern day and has readily naturalized, leading some cultures to consider it local due to its longstanding presence. Today, Oxalis corniculata thrives in forests, woodlands, ditches, fields, along roadsides, and in home gardens worldwide. When foraged as a culinary ingredient, the leaves and flowers are sold through local markets in its growing region. The Creeping Woodsorrel featured in the photograph above was sourced through a vendor at a local market in Colombia.
