Creeping oxalis
Oxalis corniculata
Heart-shaped leaflets, yellow flowers and creeping stems.
Photo: Vengolis · source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
What to look for
- Three heart-shaped leaflets.
- Small yellow flowers, usually with five petals.
- Low stems spread through gaps in turf.
Confirm it before you treat it
White clover has rounded leaflets and white flower heads. Other oxalis species can have different roots and growth habits. Match the creeping species rather than assuming every three-leaf weed is clover.
What to do next
- Remove small patches with their rooted stems where practical.
- Maintain grass cover and inspect edges where stems can spread unnoticed.
- Distinguish an existing plant from the next generation of seedlings when planning control.
Conditions matter more than dates.
Established creeping plants can persist, with new growth when conditions suit them.
Inspect during active lawn growth; spring and autumn are useful prompts in temperate areas. Local irrigation can extend growth.
Can a prevention product remove the current patch?
No. Pre-emergent planning concerns new seedlings. Existing rooted plants need removal or an appropriate labelled treatment.
More views. Better clues.
Read each caption and compare fresh symptoms in your own turf.
Photo: Hans Hillewaert · source · CC BY-SA 3.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
Similar problems. Different solutions.
Reviewed 11 October 2026 · Turfmate. Seasonal windows are indicative planning guidance, not measured outbreak or prevalence data.
Technical sources & image credits
- Lawn Solutions Australia: creeping oxalis
- Bow & Arrow Australian product label
- Creeping oxalis — Photo: Vengolis · source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
- White clover — Photo: Hans Hillewaert · source · CC BY-SA 3.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
- Bindii — Photo: Harry Rose · source · CC BY 2.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
- Winter grass — Photo: Sam Kieschnick · source · CC BY 4.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
Photos support identification and may have been taken outside Australia. Appearance varies with species, mowing and conditions. A Turfmate product link does not imply endorsement by a photographer or source.