Purple Shamrock
Oxalis triangularis
Purple shamrock has deep purple, triangular leaflets that fold up at night like butterflies, and small pink flowers. It grows from small bulbs and is easy indoors or in shaded outdoor pots.
Photo: KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Water when the top of the soil is dry. If it dies back, stop watering for a few weeks and it will regrow.
Soil
Well-drained potting mix; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
10–30 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed monthly while growing.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by division, offsets
Remove faded leaves and flowers.
Oxalis contains soluble oxalates and can be harmful to cats and dogs if eaten in quantity.
Top Cultivation Tips
Dormancy is normal; it returns after a rest.
Divide bulbs when repotting.
Turn the pot as leaves lean toward light.
Green-leaved forms also exist.
Common problems
Root rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →DiseaseRust
A fungal disease that forms orange, brown or yellow powdery pustules, mainly on leaf undersides.
How to treat it →PestSpider mites
Tiny sap-sucking mites that thrive in hot, dry conditions, causing speckled, dull leaves and fine webbing.
How to treat it →
