It produces a rosette of leaves in turf. Individual leaves are strongly lobed and terminate with a large rounded lobe. In most cases, flowers do not develop under low mowing heights, but bright yellow flowers clustered at the tips of the uppermost branches can be observed around fence posts or other structures that are unmowed. Like clover and black medic, each leaf has three leaflets. Leaflets of yellow woodsorrel can be distinguished from other weeds by their distinct heart shape.
Flowers are bright yellow with five petals.
As flowers mature, they lose their petals and form banana-shaped seedpods that forcibly eject seeds.