• Photo of Oxalis (Oxaliss)

Plant Profile: Oxalis

Taxonomy: Oxalis

Names

Clover, Good Luck Plant, Lucky Clover, Oxalis, Shamrock, Shamrock Plant, Sorrel, Wood-sorrel

  • Photo of Oxalis (Oxaliss)

Phonetic Spelling:oks-AL-iss

Genus:Oxalis

Species:

Family:Oxalidaceae

This plant can be classified as either an annual or perennial herb. Its leaves resemble those of clover, featuring long stalks and three leaflets. The flowers are composed of five petals and can be found in shades of white, yellow, lavender, or rose, closing at night. The fruit takes the form of a capsule.

It thrives best in full sunlight but can tolerate up to 25% shade. When planting, ensure that rhizomes or stolons are buried about 2 inches (5 cm) deep. The most effective methods of propagation are through rhizomes, stolons, or seeds. The species O. deppei, O. lasiandra, and O. regnelli are regarded as tender varieties.

This plant is indigenous to a wide range of regions, including Europe, tropical Asia, Africa, the Falkland Islands, the Pacific, South America, Australasia, North America, and temperate Asia.

Oxalis Feature Summary

Oxalis Image Gallery

Tags

#white
#poisonous
#houseplant
#annual
#lavender
#edible plant
#perennial
#weed
#edible weed
#many colors
#shade tolerant
#weedy
#edible flowers
#fall interest
#ncemgva2018
#summer flowers
#edible roots
#edible seeds
#edible garden
#edible leaves
#wildflower garden
#partial shade tolerant
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
#lawns

Similar Plants

Oxalis Feature Summary

Attributes
Americas and South Africa
Store rhizomes or bulbs in peat or vermiculite at 35-41 degrees F (2-5C)
EDIBLE PARTS: Small amounts of leaves, flowers, seeds, tubers/roots eaten raw are not dangerous. They have a lemon-like sour flavor.
Perennial
Annual
Seed
Division
Root Cutting
Fruit
A capsule that bursts open when ripe, scattering the seeds.
Flowers
The 5-parted flowers come in a variety of colors and close at night.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Gold/Yellow
4-5 petals/rays
Funnel
Tubular
Saucer
< 1 inch
Leaves
The bright green leaves are long-stalked with 3 clover-like leaflets, obovate with a notch at the top. Some cultivars have a purple color.
Green
Purple/Lavender
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Poisonous to Humans
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Large quantities may cause trembling, cramps, and staggering in grazing animals, but there are no documented cases in humans. All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestions of large quantities. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses, and kidney failure is possible if significant amounts are eaten.
Soluble calcium oxylates
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Sap/Juice
Flowers
Bark
Fruits
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Annual
Edible
Herbaceous Perennial
Poisonous
Weed
Wildflower
Houseplant
Bulb
Spreading
Clumping
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
12 inches-3 feet
Less than 12 inches
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Edible Garden
Lawn
Houseplants
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Weedy

Oxalis Attributes

Oxalis: Country Or Region Of Origin

Americas and South Africa

Oxalis: Bulb Storage

Store rhizomes or bulbs in peat or vermiculite at 35-41 degrees F (2-5C)

Oxalis: Edibility

EDIBLE PARTS: Small amounts of leaves, flowers, seeds, tubers/roots eaten raw are not dangerous. They have a lemon-like sour flavor.

Oxalis: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Oxalis: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Oxalis Fruit

Oxalis: Fruit Description

A capsule that bursts open when ripe, scattering the seeds.

Oxalis: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Oxalis Flowers

Oxalis: Flower Description

The 5-parted flowers come in a variety of colors and close at night.

Oxalis: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Oxalis: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Oxalis: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Oxalis: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Oxalis: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Oxalis: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Oxalis: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Oxalis Leaves

Oxalis: Leaf Description

The bright green leaves are long-stalked with 3 clover-like leaflets, obovate with a notch at the top. Some cultivars have a purple color.

Oxalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Oxalis: Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Purple/Lavender

Oxalis: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Oxalis: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Oxalis: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Oxalis: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Oxalis: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Oxalis Poisonous to Humans

Oxalis: Poison Symptoms

CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Large quantities may cause trembling, cramps, and staggering in grazing animals, but there are no documented cases in humans. All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestions of large quantities. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses, and kidney failure is possible if significant amounts are eaten.

Oxalis: Poison Toxic Principle

Soluble calcium oxylates

Oxalis: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Oxalis: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Oxalis: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Oxalis Whole Plant Traits

Oxalis: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Oxalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Oxalis: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Oxalis: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Oxalis Cultural Conditions

Oxalis: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Oxalis: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Oxalis: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Oxalis: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Oxalis: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Oxalis Stem

Oxalis: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Oxalis Landscape

Oxalis: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Oxalis: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Oxalis: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy