Oxalis pes-caprae
Bermuda buttercup
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Rebelo · licence
Family: Oxalidaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Oxalis pes-caprae (Bermuda buttercup) is a non-native California herb in the Oxalidaceae family, recognized by large yellow umbels and bulb clusters diagnostic.
Bermuda buttercup is a naturalized perennial herb found in northern coastal California, the Sacramento Valley, central western California, and southwestern California in disturbed areas, roadsides, grasslands, and dunes at elevations below 820 meters. Flowering from January to May, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with delicate petals up to 2.5 centimeters long. Growing with an underground vertical stem, it forms a loose basal rosette of leaflets that are often marked with purple spots and have soft hairs on their undersides. Its leaves include up to 40 small leaflets, each approximately 3.5 centimeters long, arranged in a distinctive cluster. The plant spreads through multiple white to brown bulbs that develop on rhizomes and root tips, making it a persistent and adaptable species in disturbed landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; large yellow umbels and bulb clusters diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, grassland, dunes
Elevation: < 820 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Butte, San Bernardino, Alameda, Orange, San Mateo, Monterey, Stanislaus, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Merced, Yolo, Solano, Marin, Sutter, Sonoma, Sacramento, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Humboldt, Mendocino
Outside California: worldwide alien, native to southern Africa
Bloom period
Oxalis pes-caprae blooms Jan-May.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Trifolium: Oxalis has heart-notched leaflet tips; clover has oval or elongate leaflet tips without notches.; vs Medicago: Oxalis leaflets fold at night and have notched tips; medick leaflets don't fold and have toothed edges.; vs Marsilea: Oxalis is a land plant with flowers; water clover is aquatic with spore-bearing structures.; vs Pelargonium: Oxalis is soft-stemmed with 3 leaflets; geranium is woody-based with palmately lobed leaves.; vs Bowlesia: Oxalis has clover-like leaves with 3 leaflets; Bowlesia has kidney-shaped undivided leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oxalis pes-caprae native to California?
No. Oxalis pes-caprae is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Oxalis pes-caprae bloom?
Oxalis pes-caprae blooms Jan-May.
Where in California does Oxalis pes-caprae grow?
Oxalis pes-caprae occurs in Los Angeles, Butte, San Bernardino, Alameda, Orange, San Mateo, Monterey, Stanislaus and other counties, at elevations of < 820 m.
What plant family does Oxalis pes-caprae belong to?
Oxalis pes-caprae is in the Oxalidaceae family, genus Oxalis.
Is Oxalis pes-caprae invasive in California?
Oxalis pes-caprae is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.