Some of the most common names for the plant reference its sour taste owing to oxalic acid present in its tissues.

Indigenous to South Africa, Oxalis pes-caprae is an invasive species and noxious weed in many other parts of the world, including the United States (particularly coastal California),[5] Europe,[6] The Middle East and Australia.

Kluge & Claassens (1990) reported a potential biocontrol agent using Klugeana philoxalis, a larval feeder on shoots of O.

Imazapyr[12] applied in late March 2016 at low concentration appeared to completely prevent re-sprouting of O. pes-caprae bulbs in the San Francisco area.

The leaves or roots are used in some parts of the world as a food,[16][17] although the high levels of calcium oxalate in the plant may bear some risks.

[citation needed] However, in spite of its comparatively benign nature, where it has become dominant in pastures, as sometimes happens outside South Africa, Oxalis pes-caprae certainly can cause dramatic stock losses.

For example, when hungry stock, such as sheep released just after being shorn, are let out to graze in a lush growth of Oxalis pes-caprae, they may gorge on the plant, with fatal results, as has been found in South Australia at least.

The plant has been found to be nutritious, but too acidic to be good fodder, largely being left untouched by grazing stock.

[22] Oxalis poisoning of stock is not a serious forage concern in South African pastures, unless exceptionally favoured by overgrazing.