• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Monthly Checklist
  • Container Garden Design
  • Garden Coaching
  • Five ★★★★★ Speaker’s Topics
  • Portfolio

Hoosier Gardener

An informed, yet personal take on natural gardening in Indiana and other dirty topics.

An informed, yet personal take on natural gardening in Indiana and other dirty topics.
  • Home
  • Services
    • Container Garden Design
    • Garden Coaching
    • Writing & Editing
    • Virtual and In-person Talks
  • Indiana Gardening Resources
    • Monthly Gardening Checklist
    • Hoosier Gardener Blog
    • HortusScope
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop

March 1, 2010 By Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Oxalis is a great plant for containers in the summer garden

'Charmed Wine' oxalis. Photo courtesy provenwinners.com

'Charmed Wine' oxalis. Photo courtesy provenwinners.com

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, shamrocks are rooted in tradition.        However, what we call the shamrock in the U.S. is not the same as the shamrock of Ireland.

Here, the oxalis, or wood sorrel, plays the role of shamrock, which in Ireland, is the yellow-flowered clover or trefoil (Trifolium dubium). It’s tricky to grow this clover indoors, so nurseries and florists sell Oxalis plants instead for the holiday.

The shamrock became associated with the patron saint of Ireland because he supposedly plucked one from the ground to demonstrate the Holy Trinity of the Roman Catholic faith: the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Besides good luck, the shamrock symbolizes rebirth, which is really what spring is all about.

The shamrock we see at the retailers this time of year is Oxalis acetosella, which has green, triangular leaves and white flowers.

<p>Copper Tones oxalis has reddish-green foliage. Photo courtesy ProvenWinners.com</p>

Copper Tones oxalis has reddish-green foliage. Photo courtesy ProvenWinners.com

Although this spring charmer is attractive and can be grown outdoors as a frost tender summer bulb, it has even more beautiful cousins, including some with large, purple triangular leaves with pretty pink or white flowers. Others have green leaves with purple centers. Some have golden leaves or reddish green ones. These accent plants are easy to grow and provide flowers and attractive foliage all summer long.

There are more than 300 oxalis species. They grow from a small bulb (called a tuber) outdoors in part sun to shade, once all danger of frost has passed. Full sun is a little too intense for this plant. Because the tubers would be killed by winter temperatures, I grow my oxalis in a clay bowl, which I move to the basement every fall after the first freeze. The bowl and tubers stay in the cool basement until about this time of year, when I bring the container upstairs to a bright window, light, water and a little liquid fertilizer. Every few years, I divide the tubers in spring and share them with friends or plant them in another container.

Oxalis also can be planted as a low-growing summer ground cover around the base of other plants in the ground or in a container, where it soft the pot’s edge. At night, oxalis leaves fold and collapse against their stems. When day breaks, the leaves open wide again. Oxalis needs good drainage.

Molten Lava oxalis. Photo courtesy ProvenWinners.com

Molten Lava oxalis. Photo courtesy ProvenWinners.com

Oxalis should be kept evenly moist, but not sopping wet. Although oxalis likes to be a little crowded in the pot, if it dries out quickly, the tubers should be divided. Apply a liquid fertilizer every two or three weeks during the growing season. Always read and follow the label directions of the product you select.

If you want to save oxalis year to year, be sure to dig tubers in the ground after the first frost. Tubers dug from the ground should be rinsed off, dried and stored in a cool, dry place. Or, if in a pot, move the tuber-filled container to place cool to keep the plants from blooming, but warm enough so they don’t freeze.

Oxalis also can be a houseplant; however, indoors, it goes dormant two or three times a year for about three months at a time. When it starts to go dormant, the foliage will die back. Stop watering or fertilizing the plants. When you see new growth, begin the water-fertilizer regimen. Indoors, place oxalis in a bright window, but out of direct sun.

Some garden centers carry oxalis already growing in nursery pots or as bare bulbs ready for planting. The widest selection will be found through Internet and mail-order retailers.

Filed Under: Hoosier Gardener

Primary Sidebar

Get the Hoosier Gardener Newsletter

Follow Us!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

March 2025 Plant of the Month: Daffodil

You just can’t go wrong with daffodils. They reliably return every year and ...

[Read More...]

March garden checklist

Indoors Prune, repot and clean houseplants as needed. Fertilize houseplants ...

[Read More...]

February 2025 Plant of the Month: Monstera

This time of year a lot of us look to our houseplants to quench our need for ...

[Read More...]

February garden checklist

Indoors General Landscape Vegetables and Fruits ...

[Read More...]

Footer

Quick Links

Shop
Speaking
Container Garden Design
Monthly Gardening Checklist
Contact

Get the Hoosier Gardener Newsletter

Contact

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
The Hoosier Gardener
thehoosiergardener@gmail.com

Copyright © 2025 · Hoosier Gardener - All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service ·Sitemap

Affiliate disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links and Jo Ellen will receive a small commission from items purchased via the links.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT