How to Care for Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) and an Introduction to Its Blooming Time

Purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the wood sorrel family (Oxalidaceae). Its leaves are purple-red, and its flowers are pale purple or white. Planted in a courtyard or on a balcony, it looks extremely beautiful. Here we introduce the care methods for purple shamrock.

I. A brief introduction to purple shamrock!

1. What other names does purple shamrock have?

Purple shamrock is also called sour grass, sour-sour grass, spotted dove sorrel, three-leaf sorrel, sour mimimi, hook grass, and so on. The plant grows 15-30 cm tall, its leaves are inverted triangular, and the leaf color is purple-red. Its umbel inflorescence bears 12-14 flowers, and the flower color is pale purple or white.

2. Where is purple shamrock native to?

Purple shamrock is native to Brazil in South America, and it has been successfully introduced to China. It can be grown as a potted plant, and it can also add a touch of scenery to courtyards, balconies and homes. It is suitable for planting at the edges of flower beds, and can also be used in gardens as ground cover for shady, damp areas.

II. An introduction to the care methods for purple shamrock!

1. Soil: what kind of soil is suitable?

Purple shamrock is suitable for growing in fertile, loose, well-aerated humus soil. You can mix 2 parts garden soil, 1 part humus soil and 1 part vermiculite to make a potting mix, or you can use potting soil mixed with a small amount of vermiculite or perlite.

2. Sowing: when to sow?

Purple shamrock can be grown from seed. This is generally done in spring. Because the seeds are very small, it is best to sow them indoors in pots using sifted potting soil, cover them with plastic film or a glass pane to keep in moisture, and maintain a suitable germination temperature of 15°C to 20°C. They will sprout about 2 weeks after sowing.

3. Temperature: what is the optimum growing temperature?

Purple shamrock likes a warm environment, is not cold-tolerant, and is not tolerant of high temperatures either. Its most suitable growing temperature is 16°C-22°C. Below 10°C it stops growing, at 0°C its leaves wither, and above 35°C its leaves curl, growth slows, and it enters a dormant period.

4. Light: how much sunlight does it need?

Purple shamrock needs plenty of light. In spring and autumn it should receive full sunlight; too much shade will make the leaves dull and lusterless, while the leaf stalks become weak and the plant's shape becomes straggly. In summer, avoid direct strong light and provide appropriate shading to prevent sunscald.

5. Watering: how much water should it be given?

Purple shamrock likes a moist environment, can tolerate drought, and is afraid of waterlogging. During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist. Follow the principle of “do not water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do.” Do not let water accumulate, as this can cause the bulbs to rot, and drain excess water promptly. If the environment is rather dry, spray water around the plant in good time.

6. Fertilizing: what fertilizer should be applied?

When potting purple shamrock, apply plenty of base fertilizer. During the growing season, to keep the plant growing strong, apply a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer once a month, and stop fertilizing in July-August. Do not use too high a concentration when fertilizing, do not apply a single-nutrient fertilizer, and do not splash fertilizer onto the leaves.

7. Pest and disease prevention: what should be prevented?

The main diseases of purple shamrock are root rot and leaf spot. In the early stages of disease, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. The main pests are aphids, red spider mites and snails, which can be controlled with the corresponding methods.

III. When does purple shamrock bloom?

1. The blooming period of purple shamrock is April-November. Because its flowers and leaves are sensitive to light, they open only on sunny days; on cloudy or rainy days, the small flowers only hold buds and do not open. It also has a sleeping habit: at night the leaves automatically fold together and droop, then unfold and open again the next morning.

2. Purple shamrock usually has only three leaflets, but occasionally an individual with a mutation of four leaflets appears, called a “lucky clover.” Legend says that if you find a lucky clover with four leaflets, you can make a wish and it will come true.

3. The flower meanings represented by purple shamrock: patriotism, luck, Easter.

The above is an introduction to the care methods and blooming time of purple shamrock. We hope it is useful to everyone.