Wood Sorrel and a Star

Two new pixie flowers in the grass—Star of Bethlehem and Wood Sorrel. They are both so beautiful. 

Star of Bethlehem flowers is native to Northern Africa.  They are also grown in many parts of the United States. They didn’t appear here until the 1940’s. When you see the Star remember the Biblical history of the birth of Jesus Christ and the star in the east.  This plant is toxic to animals. 

Pink Wood Sorrel is full of ascorbic acid and is eaten as a vegetable in India.  It can be used as ground cover to stop the growth of weeds and alleviate the need for herbicide. This is due to the allelopathic leachates in the leaves and exudates from the roots.  Oxalate extracts from the leaves have been shown to exhibit anti-fungal properties. Wow, what a mighty little flower.