Is Oxalis regnellii Purpurea Edible?

[Judy Glattstein]

Having brought the two large pots of dormant Oxalis regnellii 'Purpurea' up from the basement and repotted them I have a plethora of extra tubers. I have eaten wood sorrel leaves, also oca.

Does anyone know if any portions of the purple leaf oxalis are edible?

 

[fierycloud]

There are 4 species evaluated in the EU. The US GRAS list only listed some plants.

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fip/novel_food_catalogue/#
Oxalis acetosella L.The leaves of Oxalis acetosella L. are considered not novel.
Other aerial parts of Oxalis acetosella L. are considered not novel in food supplements.
.
Oxalis purpurea The request concerns Oxalis purpurea considered as novel in food.
.
Oxalis tuberosa This vegetable originated from the Andes of South America. It ranges from pale creamy-white to deep purplish red in colour and sweet to slightly astringent in taste, depending on variety. It is a popular root crop of the Andes. It is easy to prepare, as it does not require peeling, however, as it is a root crop, proper cleaning is essential before roasting, steaming or frying.
.
Oxalis vulcanicola  The request concerns Oxalis vulcanicola considered as novel in food.Novel Food Status

https://www.cfsanappsexternal.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/?cat=FoodIngredientsPackaging

[Robert_Parks]

Having brought the two large pots of dormant Oxalis regnellii 'Purpurea' up from the basement and repotted them I have a plethora of extra tubers. I have eaten wood sorrel leaves, also oca.

Does anyone know if any portions of the purple leaf oxalis are edible?

Gophers will eat this root, bulb, leaf, and flower...but perhaps you are not a gopher.

I think the only toxicity in Oxalis is the oxalate crystals?

[fierycloud]

Some data from the USDA only mentioned non-food using method. (It should be in relatively very small dose.)
https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/
 Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical databases facilitate in-depth plant, chemical, bioactivity, and ethnobotany searches using scientific or common names. Search results can be downloaded in PDF or spreadsheet form. Of interest to pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biomedical research, as well alternative therapies and herbal products.
28 entities found ( showing 1 - 20 ) - Click on an entity to view details

Key: 

• A= Biological Activity
• C= Chemical
• E= Ethnobotany Plant
• P= Plant
• S= Syndrome
• U= Ethnobotany Use

Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis corniculata ( Acederilla Aleluya; Alleluia; Carpigna; Chukrika; Estrebolina; Hsiao Suan Ts'Ai; Hummaidh; Indian Sorrel; Oseille Du Boi )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis convexula
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis depressa
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis obliquifolia
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis punctata
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis semiloba
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis smithiana
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis sp.
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis dichondreafolia
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis acetosella ( Aleluya; Kazayagi; Sorrel; Wood Sorrel; Woodsorrel )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis martiana ( Sheep Shar )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis montana ( Woodsorrel; Common )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis stricta ( Sorrel; Sheep; Wood Sorrel )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis violacea
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis sp ( Sorrel )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis dichondraefolia
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis hedysaroides
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis pes-caprae ( Sorrel )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis otaviensis
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis tragopoda
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis acetosella? ( Alleluia )
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis decaphylla
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis corniculatus
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis latifolia
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis amplifolia
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis trilliifolia
Ethnobotanical Plant Oxalis drummondi
Plant Oxalis tuberosa ( Oca; Papa Roja; Quiba )

[Judy Glattstein]

Thank you for your research efforts, fierycloud, and comment, Robert. Not that I'm especially interested in eating this oxalis. Merely that there is an excess of it. I have used various garden plants and weeds as foraged ingredients: fiddlehead ferns, garlic mustard, Petasites, etc. Not geophytes - never had an excess of tulips and the so-called fairy spuds, Claytonia virginica, are both attractive and so tiny that I'd be digging for a long time for a single serving.

[Judy Glattstein]

Looking for general info about Oxalis regnellii 'Purpurea' I found this on TopTropicals.com catalog: "As a spice or herb, it is used to flavor lemony dishes or to add a splash of vibrant pink or white hues to salads."

[MarkMazer]

"  I have used various garden plants and weeds as foraged ingredients"

Oh so many of these plants contain agents that are mutagenic and/or carcenogenic and caution in their use would be prudent.  Little testing has been done on humans.

[Judy Glattstein]

Moderation in all things . . .

[Arnold]

Everything in moderation, including moderation

[fierycloud]

After the years of biological news about virus such as RNA fragment being positive or whole virus which could be propagated in a live cell. I suddenly wonder that if the plants which have less ingredient which human body consist of or could be digested or absorbed by human might be less possibility to nourish the microorganism in viro than the edible landscape. I wonder if the plants have the form and quantity of the carbohydrate, protein, fat which could be digested or absorbed by human could be more possibility to nourish the bacterial and fungi adaptive to the human food and ingredient outside the human body than the plants which have only small amount of carbohydrate, protein, fat or not the form used by human.