Shamrock Plant Care
Common Name: Shamrock Plant
Scientific Name: Oxalis species
Lighting: Low to Moderate
Watering: Moderate
Shamrock plants come in a wide variety of species. Varieties include those with deep burgundy foliage with white or pink flowers to green foliage as well. Shamrock plants form a mound like appearance by continually sprouting new shoots. One thing to be aware of, is that generally within 2 months of receiving your Shamrock plant, the plant will appear to be dying and actually seem dead. Don't throw it out! It is a bulb and goes into a dormant state.
Shamrock plants prefer low light levels in most cases. Some varieties like higher levels, so be sure to follow the tag for your specific variety. If your plant is stretching or becomes lanky in appearance, it is probably not receiving enough light.
Shamrock plants prefer to have their soil somewhat moist at all times. However you do not want the soil to be soggy, so be careful not to over water. Generally, if the soil does dry out, this houseplant will spring back from a wilted state quite quickly. But do not make a habit of under watering the plant. If the foliage begins to yellow, you may be over watering the plant.
If you're Shamrock plant has not bloomed, you can try to cut back water levels on the plant to force it into a dormancy state. Then in 2 to 3 months begin to increase the water levels.
I have never had this plant, so any tips or advice are welcomed and encouraged to assist my readers in caring for this houseplant.
Labels: Flowering Houseplants
posted by drayas @ 9:17 PM
7 Comments:
I've had my shamrock for 4-5 years and it blooms all the time. I usually water it once a week and trim off dead flower/foliage stems. It's such a cute plant. Foliage turns to the light to capture as much as it can and they close every night. I love mine!
I have several of these in green and have them in windows facing east, south and west; they are doing well even though they do prefer being outside during the milder weather.
I have had an Oxalis of the red variety for about 5 years. I keep it outside in a shady location on my deck from May to early September. After I bring it indoors the foliage dies back as the bulbs become dormant. As the light levels increase in April new shoots emerge and growth resumes once again. I use a little bulb fertilizer as I use for my tulips, hyacinth and other bulbs once a month while actively growing. Moderate watering promotes flowering. The foliage is lovely and looks like red butterflies.
I have had Shamrocks for almost 20 years. They came from my deceased mother-in-law.
I don't know the varieties, but I have both the large leaf purple ones, and medium leaf green ones.
I found watering from the bottom to be the best way of watering them. Put your plant on a plate or tray, and put the water in it.
Also, you can 'break' the bulb to start new growth. Planting them lengthwise will encourage faster growth.
I have two Purple-leafed oxalis plants(one large and one small)and just as advised, when I first got the plant, it was knocked off the window sill by a gust of air and the growth was slow (and nearly non existent) after that. I thought the plant had died, but then one day, it sprouted it again.
These plants are semi-delicate, but they have staying power and will live if you water them somewhat frequently (every other day).
I love to watch them at night when they go to sleep and the leaves close.
l do not have a 'green thumb' but my shamrock is great.. l have it on a table in front of a window that gets lots of afternoon sun.. it seems to like it.. l put it in the sink and let it soak for a half hr when the soil appears dry.. l thought l had killed it but noticed a small green shoot when l went to throw it away..l water the little shoot and wow!! l had a large bouquet of folliage in less that a week.. it seems to be always in flower... ignorance in its care seems to be working for mine.. l love it
I have had my Shamrock for about 2 years. I bought it on clearance at Wal-mart. You know, the ones where they are already half dead. I buy all my plants that way. Anyway. I bout this one because it was so sad looking and tiny. I brought it home and transplanted it. Then my dogs knocked it off the table it was on. I scooped it back into the pot and hoped for the best. Then it started to bloom again and I was happy. Well then the power went out in my house and it was freezing. and I thought that all my plants were dead because they could not withstand the winter weather in Indiana. And some of them didn't survive. But one of the few was my Shamrock. I know that these plants are classified as semi-sensitive. But in my experience this plant is definitely for someone that is really hard on plants! I love mine and I hope to have it for years to come!
Post a Comment
<< Home