The Oxalis

I have a soft spot for Oxalis. They're small, they've got big blooms for their size and they come in different colors. The photos below show most of what we have, bar two. One never managed to open its buds due to rain, and the other hasn't started blooming yet.





Oxalis enneaphylla ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden )











Oxalis enneaphylla ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden )





Oxalis "Rubin" ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden )




Oxalis "Ione Hecker" ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden )






Oxalis "White Cloud" ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden )



The "White Cloud" was planted last autumn, and I'm amazed at the size of the bloom.




Oxalis "Purple Heart" ( photo / image / picture from Droopy's Garden )



"Purple Heart" has it's name from the foliage. It doesn't show properly yet, but has a lovely, purple pattern in the middle.

I hope you like our Oxalis.

 

I like them very much. I didn't realize there were so many different types. My grandma had the little white one in her rock garden. Funny how almost all flowers make me think of her :-o

 

love the oxalis, has exclusive species :-D

 

I love them too. I have some growing in my greenhouse and they get to go out and play (with all the other children) in the Summer but in Fall they must go back in where it stays warm. Would the kind you have love in very cold weather???? I would love that.

Barb in Pa.

 

Thank you all.

Stratsmom and waretrop, there are very many Oxalis. Some I haven't managed to get hold of and others can't take the climate here unless I bring them in for the winter, and I'm lousy at doing that!

These lovelies have lived through heavy snowfalls, barefrost and green, wet winter, so they're pretty hardy.

 

Droopy, those are lovely. I didn't know they cam in so many colors, either.

 

i am totally jealous!....if i didn't have to overwinter them somewhere i would probably have them as well, just lovely!

 

Thanks both.

Annette, are you certain you'd have to overwinter them? The "Ione Hecker" and O. enneaphylla was outside in -12°C and no snow cover for weeks. How cold does it get in Buffalo?

 

The centre of the species is in southern Argentina as far down as the Falkland Islands, so many of them are pretty tough. They are not keen on wet feet true, but cold does not affect them.
The top one looks like the one I have called 'Ute'.
And if you can get it, O. versicolor is gorgeous, but that one is a bit tender.

 

Really nice collection of Oxalis plants. You have such a large selection, you could become the Northern distributer.

That "Purple Heart", is especially stunning to my eyes. I wonder if it has war wounds.

 

Palustris, I've tried the O. versicolor and it didn't make it. I grow them in our rock borders, so no wet feet. Do you know that "ute" means "outdoors" in Norwegian? Very fitting for a hardy Oxalis.

Sjoerd, thank you, and no, I'm not going to start distributing anything but good wishes, congratulations, compliments and hugs.

 

O. versicolor definitely is tender, so probably needs a greenhouse.

 

it can get cold in buffalo, droopy...any time i've seen them in catalogues and such they have zone of 8 (i think)....i'll definitely have to keep an eye out for one that will take the freeze & thaw that we get here.

 

Yes, I like your Oxalis. This plant is under-used and, under-appreciated by many gardeners.


I have what may be considered a weed plant, but the pink flowers raise it up to spectacular perennial.

Then I have the purple leaf type.

 

Good luck Annette! I hope you find some that want to live with you.

Thanks bp. The only oxalis thought of as a weed here is the Oxalis acetosella, wood sorrel. I quite like it in the woods, literally. I snack on them. But I wouldn't want them in the garden. The ones with purple leaves are indoors plants here.