Flower profile

Violet woodsorrel

Oxalis violacea

Native in the lower 48

Violet woodsorrel is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 9 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

40states

9of our state lists

17,710U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee

Quick look

Oxalis violacea, the violet wood-sorrel, is a perennial plant and herb in the family Oxalidaceae. It is native to the eastern and central United States.
From Wikipedia's article Oxalis violacea, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Oxalidaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 40 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–August. ^iNaturalist
In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,133 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #82 among the 111 flowers on our North Carolina list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,556 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #71 among the 112 flowers on our Tennessee list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,507 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #10 among the 109 flowers on our Arkansas list. ^iNaturalist

Violet woodsorrel gift ideas

Handmade violet woodsorrel gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,643 records)

Bloom time in each of our 9 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
North Carolina	Native	April–August	2,133
Tennessee	Native	March–May	1,556
Arkansas	Native	March–September	1,507
Missouri	Native	March–May	1,488
Kentucky	Native	March–May	1,163
Georgia	Native	March–April	1,059
Alabama	Native	March–April	968
Oklahoma	Native	March–September	580
Kansas	Native	April–May	337

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
North Carolina: Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in North Carolina. ^{02 NCAC 48F .0301}
Tennessee: Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. ^{TN rule 0400-06-02-.04}
Arkansas: No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Missouri: Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. ^{3 CSR 10-4.111}
Kentucky: Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. ^{400 KAR 3:040}
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Georgia. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
Alabama: No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Oklahoma: No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Kansas: No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S5, secure in Kansas.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MA (S1), MI (SX), NY (S2), RI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestions of large quantities. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses, and kidney failure is possible if significant amounts are…” They also note: “Edible in small quantities. The leaves should not be eaten in large amounts because they contain oxalic acid that can lead to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked. Can aggravate the condition of people with rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Good Luck Plant” (Oxalis spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestions of large quantities. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses… ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records violet woodsorrel in 40 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Beaufort, Bladen, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Durham, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Martin, Mecklenburg, Moore, Nash, Northampton, Orange, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Rowan, Stanly, Surry, Union, Wake, Warren, Wilson.

Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Bedford, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Cheatham, Claiborne, Cumberland, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Knox, Lauderdale, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Meigs, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Overton, Polk, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sevier, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Unicoi, Van Buren, Wayne, Williamson, Wilson.

Arkansas counties with USDA records: Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Boone, Bradley, Calhoun, Carroll, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Cross, Dallas, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Logan, Lonoke, Madison, Marion, Miller, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Perry, Pike, Poinsett, Polk, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Stone, Union, Van Buren, Washington, White, Woodruff, Yell.

More North Carolina flowers

Crane-fly orchid

Tipularia discolor

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American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

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Striped wintergreen

Chimaphila maculata

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🌼 Blooms in NC: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile OXVI.
iNaturalist, Oxalis violacea: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Oxalis violacea (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
Kansas: Kansas noxious weeds (K.A.R. 4-8-44, as amended 2026).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Oxalis violacea (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Michael J. Papay via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.