Oxalis Shamrock

[Sandy Zone 3b]

I have the purple oxalis plant and last fall it bloomed and bloomed right into this summer.
Now it's died back and I don't see any sign of it growing now. How long is the resting period? Do you dig up the bulbets and transplant them? I thought by now it would be showing some signs of life as it's always bloomed this time of year.

[orchidguy]

Sandy,
Your Oxalis regnellii atropurpurea should be rested when it shows signs of being "tired", for lack of a better word. You withheld watering and fertilization when it was going into dormancy, right? Usually the dormancy lasts about a month, but I have seen them dormant for 6 or 7 weeks. Resume watering, and if taken from their light source, put it back in the window or under lights.
If you did water or feed during its dormancy, scrape back a bit of the soil top layer, to see if the bulblets had rotted or not. If they did rot, they will not return, and if they are still firm, they will come back
Hope this has helped Sandy
Let us know how it turned out

[kelly_m]

Wow....I did not know that! Mine stay all the time...constantly in leaf though not always in flower.....

the leaves die down, but i guess I have enough bulbets in there that there is always something growing!

[orchidguy]

Wow....I did not know that! Mine stay all the time...constantly in leaf though not always in flower.....

about the same here Kel. If grown on the coolish and moist side in the greenhouse, I find these tend to not go into dormancy at all. In the house, they never do as well for me, and kind of go into a semi-dormancy by the middle of winter

[kelly_m]

Interesting....

Mine tend o be in a coolish spot of the house but have been in other parts as well...will have to watcfh them...never noticed any darmant periods....though I do need to water them now...they look dormant but are actually dehydrated! LOL

On a side note...I have this one corner outside....very sheltered, South side, probably a microclimate of zone7 or 8...small area not enough to push the limits....where I planted some bulbets. They keep coming back year after year!!

[orchidguy]

On a side note...I have this one corner outside....very sheltered, South side, probably a microclimate of zone7 or 8...small area not enough to push the limits....where I planted some bulbets. They keep coming back year after year!!

Now that is interesting.
I have quite a few species and cultivars that are hardy perennials, but never tried these ones outside. Am going to give it a try next year. Thanks for the idea Kel

[Sandy Zone 3b]

I keep checking it to see if anything is coming through! So will keep you posted on what's happening, I may even root around and see what' shape the rootlets are doing.

[Heidi S]

I consider these plants as weeds! They grow everywhere they find a place to set down roots, and I will not allow any in my garden. Zone 3 hardy for sure. Now maybe in a pot, with no access to the garden - but loose in the soil - not a chance! My neighbour asked me about the ones in her yard; she had put one in, and now has hundreds. We have started a serious weeding program in her garden now.

[davefrombc]

Are you thinking of the Oxalis or the true Shamrock Heidi ? The true Shamrock is rhizomous and Very hardy. My mother and grandmother brought some back from a visit to Ireland and now it is everywhere in my plants .... 30 years later .. If there's ever a natural or man made disaster that wiped out everything, I think there would likely be 3 survivors..Ants, Cockroaches and Shamrocks

[Sandy Zone 3b]

It's the 'OXALIS' plant I'm inquiring about right now.