Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea)
Violet Wood Sorrel flowers attract a variety of native bees and, to a lesser extent, small butterflies and skippers with their nectar and pollen. The seeds are enjoyed by a variety of birds, including some Sparrows, Bobwhite, Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, and Slate-Colored Junco (illinoiswildflower.info). Violet Wood Sorrel is presumed extirpated in Michigan, so while you may not be preserving the plant that was once here, you are creating habitat for all of the species that may need it for survival (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). Due to the presence of oxalic acid, mammalian herbivores tend to leave it be.
Photo credit: Frank Mayfield
Violet Wood Sorrel flowers attract a variety of native bees and, to a lesser extent, small butterflies and skippers with their nectar and pollen. The seeds are enjoyed by a variety of birds, including some Sparrows, Bobwhite, Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, and Slate-Colored Junco (illinoiswildflower.info). Violet Wood Sorrel is presumed extirpated in Michigan, so while you may not be preserving the plant that was once here, you are creating habitat for all of the species that may need it for survival (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). Due to the presence of oxalic acid, mammalian herbivores tend to leave it be.
Photo credit: Frank Mayfield
Violet Wood Sorrel flowers attract a variety of native bees and, to a lesser extent, small butterflies and skippers with their nectar and pollen. The seeds are enjoyed by a variety of birds, including some Sparrows, Bobwhite, Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, and Slate-Colored Junco (illinoiswildflower.info). Violet Wood Sorrel is presumed extirpated in Michigan, so while you may not be preserving the plant that was once here, you are creating habitat for all of the species that may need it for survival (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). Due to the presence of oxalic acid, mammalian herbivores tend to leave it be.
Photo credit: Frank Mayfield
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full-Partial shade
Soil Moisture: Medium/dry – Dry
Height: 4 inches
Plant Spacing: 2-6 inches
Bloom Time: April-June
Bloom Color: Purple
Advantages: Deer Resistant, Great Landscaping plant
Host Plant: 4 species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)
Species of Concern: State Status: Presumed extirpated (legally 'threatened' if rediscovered), State Rank: Presumed extirpated (mnfi.anr.msu.edu)
