Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis)

What it looks like

Heart-shaped, notched leaflets in groups of three, giving it a shamrock look, with small yellow five-petal flowers. It produces upright seed pods that burst open and fling seeds when ripe. Easy to mistake for clover, but clover has rounded leaflets with a white marking, and black medic has wedge-shaped leaflets with yellow clustered flowers.

Often mistaken for: Clover or black medic

When it shows up in the Triangle

Active from spring through fall in the Triangle, especially in lawns that aren't thick and healthy.

Where you’ll see it

Shows up in home lawns of all types, particularly where turf is thin or stressed.

What you can do

• Mow at the right height and fertilize properly to keep turf thick and crowd it out
• Hand-pull isolated plants before seed pods form and mature
• Bag or dispose of pulled plants carefully so pods don't scatter seed
• Check lawn regularly since it spreads fast once pods start popping