Creeping oxalis (Oxalis corniculata).
Creeping oxalis is an annual or sometimes perennial herb, and is also known as Yellow Wood Sorrel or Wood Sorrel. It is a troublesome weed of gardens and lawns, and forms dense mats in lawns that choke out turf.
Creeping oxalis has stolons that that creep above the ground, and may be up to 60 mm long. The stems are light green to reddish purple, hairy, and slightly succulent. Trifoliate leaves alternate along these stems.
It is often mistaken for Soursob or Soursop (Oxalis pes-caprae). The main difference is that Soursob does not have creeping above ground stems and reproduces mostly via underground bulbs. Wood Sorrel does not have underground bulbs. This flowers mainly in Winter and goes dormant over the Summer.
Another way to distinguish these weeds is that Soursop grows well in heavy, fertile, well-drained soils and tends to favour areas not prone to frost.
The leaves have a lemony flavor and are often made into tea that’s rich in vitamin C. However, if ingested in large amounts the oxalic acid for which the genus is named can begin to block the body’s calcium absorption.
This discusses the cultural and chemical options to remove Creeping oxalis from your lawn and turf areas.
How to Identify Creeping oxalis.
Creeping oxalis has three heart-shaped spotted or marked leaves and bright yellow flowers.
Flower: Yellow Wood Sorrel has yellow flowers with five petals that are 4 to 5 mm in diameter. It flowers from September to April.
Height: It grows to a height of 10 to 35 cm.
Leaf length: The leaves of Wood Sorrel are egg shaped, and 4 to 13 mm long. Each leaf has a distinct notch at the end of it.
Leaf width: Leaf width is 11 to 24 mm.
Reproduction: This weed reproduces by seed which germinates quickly. It also spreads vegetatively. The seeds are thrown up to 5 metres out of seed pods, and are easily transported, as they are angled and slightly rough. This allows them to stick onto shoes, fur and machinery.
Comments: The leaves are covered in coarse hairs.
Habitat: Creeping oxalis is a good indicator of soil problems. It prefers moist soil, and partial shade, tolerates drought, and is tolerant of a wide range of conditions. More weed information is in our Weed ID Chart.
Unlike many oxalis species, Wood Sorrel doesn’t have underground bulbs, but is able to reproduce vegetatively via a very efficient system of stolons. It allows Creeping oxalis to rapidly spread to form dense mats over turf.
How to remove Creeping oxalis from your lawn.
Although you can attempt cultural and chemical control to remove Creeping oxalis or Yellow Wood Sorrel, cultural control is very difficult.
Cultural control of Creeping oxalis:
- The deep tap root means if you hand weed, and leave any plant material behind in the soil it regrows.
- Under close mowing it assumes a prostrate growth habit.
Chemical control of Creeping oxalis.
There are several turf herbicides that control Yellow Wood Sorrel. As Creeping oxalis is difficult to wet, we suggest you use Optispread 1000 to ensure good herbicide contact with the target weed.
Pre Emergent Herbicides for Creeping Oxalis.
Post Emergent Control of Creeping Oxalis.
Products that contain 2,4-D usually provide the best results vs Creeping Oxalis. Apply post-emergent herbicides to Wood Sorrel in daylight hours as the leaves fold downward towards the evening. This is called nyctinasty, and you can also see this in Gazania and Morning Glory.This then makes it difficult to get herbicides to stick to the foliage.
- Dicamba. Do not use on Buffalo Grass.
- Pylex
- Warhead Trio. Safe on Buffalo.
- Stature Herbicide. Not for use in the home garden.
- Recondo Herbicide. Do not use on Buffalo Grass.
- Weed Blast MA. Safe on Buffalo.
- Contra M. Do not use on Buffalo Turf
- Duke Herbicide. Safe on most Buffalo varieties.
Non Selective Control of Creeping oxalis.
- Glyphosate. If you use Glyphosate and water quality is an issue then we recommend the use of ProForce Manta Ray.
- Cortex Duo.
- Numchuk Quad.
- Renegade.
$310.00
ProForce Cortex Duo Industrial Herbicide is a non glyphosate weed killer. It is both a non-selective knockdown & a residual herbicide. You can use this to kill seedling & young
$348.00
Campbells Stature Herbicide is a selective turf herbicide that controls broadleaf weeds. It is a unique 3-way formulation, and contains MCPA, Bromoxynil and diflufenican (a key active ingredient Warhead Trio
$310.00
Quali-Pro Negate Herbicide is a selective turf herbicide for grass & broadleaf weeds. Has excellent safety on couch and Zoysia. Not for use on Buffalo.
$180.00
Rapid Fire 800SG is a non-selective herbicide contains 800g/kg of the active ingredient glyphosate. It controls a wide range of perennial and annual weeds in a range of situations that
$160.00 – $745.00
Proforce Duke 100WG Herbicide is a selective turf herbicide and a Destiny herbicide alternative. It gives selective grass & broadleaf weed control and can be used on Buffalo Turf.
$70.00 – $170.00
Echelon Duo Advanced Herbicide + Insecticide & Fertiliser is a Pre-emergent herbicide for control of Summergrass, Crowsfoot, Winter grass and Creeping Oxalis. It also controls African Black Beetle, Argentinian Scarab
$155.00 – $685.00
Proforce Recondo 100WG Herbicide is a Monument herbicide alternative & controls broadleaf & grass weeds & suppresses Kikuyu. Do not use on Buffalo Turf.
$357.00
BASF Freehand is a pre-emergent herbicide, for both broadleaf & grassy weeds. It is a granular & controls & suppresses more than 60 weeds up to 3 months.
$350.00
ProForce Weed Blast MA Herbicide is a post-emergent broadleaf herbicide, for use on a range of established turfgrass species that includes Couch, Qld Blue Couch, Kikuyu, Paspalum, Buffalo, Fescue, Bent
$105.00
Casper Turf Herbicide is a selective post-emergent herbicide. It controls broadleaf weeds in turf and contains the actives Dicamba and Prosulfuron. Do not use on Buffalo Turf.
$150.00
ProForce Warhead Herbicide is a premium selective herbicide and an equivalent to Turf Control, Spearhead and Javelin herbicides. It gives outstanding control of broadleaf weeds in turf.
$220.00
ProForce Contra M Herbicide is a broad-spectrum weedkiller giving quick kill of broadleaf weeds & it controls 38 weeds in turf. Do not use on Buffalo Turf.
$80.00 – $430.00
Numchuk Quad is a non-selective knockdown and residual herbicide. It gives post and pre-emergent weed control for up to 12 months.
$270.00
MCPA 750 Herbicide is a selective herbicide that controls many broadleaf weeds in established grass playing fields and lawns.
$590.00
Pylex Herbicide controls warm season grass & broadleaf weeds in cool season turf. It controls Buffalo, Kikuyu, Couch & Queensland blue in Bentgrass greens.
