Scientific Name
Oxalis palmifrons Salter
Common Name(s)
Palm-leaf False Shamrock, False Shamrock, Palm Leaf Oxalis
Scientific Classification
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Oxalis
Origin
Oxalis palmifrons is native to South Africa. It occurs on stony slopes and flats from the Roggeveld Mountains near Sutherland to near Ceres and Laingsburg in the Western Cape.
Description
Oxalis palmifrons is a dwarf stemless plant with a dark brown bulb and stunning foliage, unlike any other Oxalis. The slow-spreading patch of ground-hugging rosettes spreads to 2 feet (60 cm) in 10 years. Each symmetrical rosette comprises glaucous green, 3-dimensional, miniature palm-like leaves. The bulb is ovoid with hard dark brown tunics and up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) long.
This species seems to bloom somewhat rarely, and the flowers generally appear before the leaves have developed. It is a winter grower and does not emerge until late fall, when it is topped with white flowers with a funnel-shaped yellow tube. It remains evergreen all winter, finally going dormant when the heat of summer arrives.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 7b to 11b: from 5 °F (−15 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Oxalis can be grown indoors as a houseplant or outdoors in the garden. They from the garden center are generally available in the fall or early spring.
These plants need bright, indirect light to grow well and produce flowers. They can often bloom all winter if kept in a sunny spot. Keep the soil barely moist but never soggy. Allow the top 2 inches (5 cm) of the soil to dry out before watering. It is best to water your Oxalis from the bottom so that the thin, fragile stems of the plant don't get waterlogged and the soil stays loose. Oxalis plants grow best in cool temperatures between 60 to 70 ºF (15 to 21 ºC) during the day and 55 to 65 ºF (13 to 18 ºC) at night. The soil should be loose and sandy rather than rich and organic. Feed your plant monthly when actively growing with a basic houseplant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Never feed an Oxalis when it is dormant and the bulbs are resting.
To propagate Oxalis, split the plant into smaller plants and place them in their own pots. Keep it out of direct sunlight until new shoots appear.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Oxalis.
Links
- Back to genus Oxalis
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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