Oxalis, Oxalis, oxalis, "lucky clover" are annuals and perennials, some of which form tubers. The genus includes about 800 species of herbaceous perennials and shrubs, distributed throughout the globe. All oxalis are low plants, 8-10 cm high, densely covered with small trifoliate or pinnately compound leaves. The peculiarity of sorrel is its “exploding” fruits, which shoot out small seeds when ripe.
- Wild species of wood sorrel Common wood sorrel, hare cabbage and sour clover, cuckoo clover / Oxalis acetosella
- Carob sorrel, horned sorrel or yellow sorrel, northern sorrel / Oxalis corniculata, syn. Xanthoxalis corniculata
- Oxalis triangularis, Oxalis regnellii Purple trefoil or False Trefoil / Oxalis triangularis, Oxalis regnellii
- Oxalis tuberosa / Oxalis tuberosa
Etymology of the name OHALIS
The genus name reflects the sour taste of the plant (oxys translates as “spicy”). Common sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) is commonly known as hare cabbage or sorrel, in Germany this plant is known as “sour clover”.
Wild wood sorrel
Common sorrel, hare cabbage and sour clover, cuckoo clover / Oxalis acetosella
Common oxalis is a Eurasian species that grows very widely in nature: throughout Europe, the Caucasus, Turkey, China, Mongolia, and North America.
Common oxalis blooms in the forest in May.
Common sorrel is a perennial spring-flowering plant, only 5-10 cm high, with a thin creeping rhizome. The leaves are slightly pubescent above, trifoliate, on long petioles, the leaf petioles are reddish. The flowers are white, bisexual, regular and simple with a yellow spot in the center. Blooms in May.
Use of wood sorrel in cooking
The leaves contain oxalic acid. Common oxalis has a slight sour taste, BUT in large quantities it can cause irritation to the kidneys and urinary tract.
Leaves ground with sugar are used to prepare a vitamin drink.
Fresh leaves are used in salads, as a seasoning for egg dishes and soups.
Be careful: long-term use of this plant can lead to kidney disease!
The use of wood sorrel in ornamental gardening
Used in large parks and gardens to create a beautiful spring ground cover. Common oxalis reproduces well by seeds and by dividing the bush.
Types and varieties of oxalis suitable for growing in the garden
The genus includes more than 400 species, distributed in South America, Europe and Africa.
Carob sorrel, horned sorrel or yellow sorrel, northern sorrel / Oxalis corniculata, syn. Xanthoxalis corniculata
A perennial plant, it forms a thicket 20-25 cm high. The stems are thin, numerous, the leaves are trifoliate, petiolate.
Blooms in May-June with small yellow flowers. Most often, after planting, it begins to grow weeds throughout the entire area, drowning out other brothers in the flower garden.
Just like wood sorrel, it has a slightly sour taste and is edible in small quantities.
The garden form with brown-red leaves var. has the greatest decorative value. Purpurea. Can be used for planting in containers.
Oxalis adenophylla
Another winter-hardy species of sorrel. USDA Zone 4
A perennial plant, no more than 7 cm high, blooms in spring with pink flowers. The ferruginous sorrel has very beautiful leaves: they consist of many lobes (10-22), silvery. There are varieties with spots or veins.
Growing ferruginous oxalis
Ferruginous oxalis loves bright, but not direct sunlight. Does not like getting soaked, naturally grows in dry places. For the winter, it is advisable to mulch and hill up.
It can be grown at home, on window sills or balconies, but it still grows better in the garden. When growing indoors for the winter, it is advisable to put the pot in the refrigerator (basement, balcony) and water it carefully, along the edge of the pot. Also for the winter, like many container crops, you can dig it directly with the container in the garden and cover it with mulch or lutrasil on top.
Ferruginous oxalis when planted in the ground.
White sorrel / Oxalis lactaea
The perennial plant is a low-growing plant with dark, brownish-green, trifoliate leaves. Blooms with white flowers. It grows well.
Oxalis poor / Oxalis inops
Perennial corm plant, quite frost-resistant.
The leaves are trifoliate on thin petioles. The flowers are dark pink with a white center. Blooms in August-October.
Depp's Oxalis / Oxalis deppei
Corm perennial plant 25-35 cm tall, with four-part leaves 3-4 cm long, green with a purple-red pattern.
The flowers are crimson-red, 2 cm long, collected in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence.
Depp's oxalis is suitable for growing in the garden as a lenika or for container growing, as well as indoors.
Depp's Oxalis when grown as an annual plant in the garden.
Growing Depp's oxalis indoors
In winter they are kept in cool conditions. Tolerates dry room conditions well.
Rose sorrel / Oxalis rosea
Height 30-35 cm. Blooms with pink flowers.
Oxalis enneaphylla / Oxalis enneaphylla
A perennial plant 5-10 cm high, forming small clumps. It is beautiful, but in a culture in our region there may be problems when growing it. It blooms in May-June with white or pink flowers.
Oxalis nine-leaved
Growing nine-leaved wood sorrel
Planting requires acidic, humus-rich soil, good drainage and sun. For the winter, dry shelter is necessary.
Caring for oxalis in the garden
The main difficulty in caring for frost-resistant wood sorrel is to prevent them from growing uncontrollably. Ripe fruits of plants crack, throwing seeds over considerable distances, so you should not plant sorrel near vegetable beds.
Problems during cultivation
Why doesn't it bloom
Among the reasons are the lack of a rest period and depletion of oxalis. The crop will not bloom if fertilizer is applied in excess.
Phytodiseases
Oxalis is disease resistant. However, excessive watering provokes root rot. The plant is revived by transplanting into dried soil, pruning diseased areas of the plant, and reducing watering.
Water deficiency and soil depletion cause the plant to wilt. Drying foliage is caused by sunburn, dry air, and inability to adapt to new conditions.
Pests
Aphid
They resist parasites in 3 ways:
- mechanical: manually collect pests;
- chemical: seedlings are treated with insecticides (Inta-Vir, Aktara);
- folk: spray plants with laundry soap.
Aphid
Shchitovka
To get rid of scale insects, wipe the leaves with a napkin or toothbrush, which is moistened in a solution of soap or alcohol, and sprayed with Aktara.
Whitefly
The flower is washed with tap water and treated with Fitoverm, Actellik.
Spider mite
It is necessary to wash the foliage with tobacco and soap solution, rinse with lukewarm water and treat the crop with Akarin.
Spider mite
The following symptoms indicate diseases if sorrel is not properly cared for:
- Stunted growth. Temperature does not match. Requires relocation to cool.
- The appearance of gray rot. Reduce watering, spray with Fundazol.
- Closing leaves in broad daylight. The sun's rays are shining and the soil is dry. Water the bush and place it in another place.
- Death of a flower. Overwatering and rotting of tubers are possible. The crop is dumped out of the container, undamaged tubers are selected and planted in fresh soil.
- Leaf spotting. To protect against burns, place oxalis in a shaded place.
- Formation of a green tint on the leaves. If there is a shortage of light, find another window for the pot, but not in direct sunlight.
- Suspension of flowering. The soil is depleted, the dormant period has not yet begun. Replanting into a new substrate will be required.
Types and varieties of oxalis suitable for growing indoors
Oxalis triangularis, Oxalis regnellii Purple trefoil or False Trefoil / Oxalis triangularis, Oxalis regnellii
Oxalis triangularis is the trade name of the species, in the scientific literature it is more often found under the name Oxalis regnellii
A rhizomatous plant with large dark purple leaves with a darker border around the edge. Height 15-30 cm. Flowers white or light pink.
The plant propagates easily using rhizomes.
Varieties of triangular sorrel
Oxalis triangularis subspecies papilionacea has green leaves and white flowers.
The Irish Mist variety is a variety with green spotted leaves and white flowers.
Conditions for keeping triangular sorrel
A plant with a pronounced dormant period: it sheds its leaves in winter. From October to February, the plant is kept at a temperature of +5...+10 and with minimal watering. In the summer it is useful to take it out into the garden or onto the balcony.
Caring for triangular sorrel.
The species reproduces well by dividing the bush; in indoor conditions it rarely produces seeds.
Oxalis bowiei
Herbaceous corm, heat-loving perennial with small light green leaves on long petioles. Blooms in summer with dark pink flowers.
Oxalis Bovey.
Purple sour / Oxalis purpurea, Oxalis variabilis
A thermophilic species, it grows naturally in South Africa.
A perennial corm plant with round, trifoliate leaves and large flowers, up to 2 cm in height, of various colors: they can be from white to pink or purple-red.
Purple oxalis with large purple flowers and bright beard-colored leaves.
In many heat-loving countries where purple sorrel grows in the ground, it is a weed, for example, in South Australia.
Flowering varietal sorrel purpurea.
Many types of wood sorrel are grown in hanging pots as hanging plants. Used for winter gardens or balcony flower beds. In the summer, even heat-loving species of wood sorrel can be planted in the garden.
Red sorrel / Oxalis rubra
Sometimes this species is classified as Oxalis articulata Savigny, or considered as a subspecies - Oxalis articulata subsp. rubra.
Red sorrel is a perennial southern (native to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay) plant with thin green leaves and pink-purple flowers.
Oxalis jointed
Oxalis ortgiasii
A popular species in indoor floriculture.
A species with brown-red trifoliate leaves with deep notches.
The flowers are small, yellow.
Oxalis Obtusa
Miniature corm perennial plant, 10-15 cm high.
Oxalis Obtusa is a plant with many advantages:
- low maintenance;
- blooms profusely;
- the flowers are large and bright, a large number of decorative varieties have been bred;
- There are even aromatic varieties.
Obtus oxalis varieties:
- Ceres Salmon is a variety with orange flowers with a yellow center;
- Moonlight - a variety with lemon flowers with an orange halo inside;
- Nova is a variety with pink flowers with a yellow center and a characteristic darker pink halo;
- Carol - variety with striped pink flowers;
- Large Form Dark - variety with large lilac flowers;
- Apricot Cream is a variety with peach-colored flowers and a rather bright halo.
Oxalis Obtusa
Varieties with a yellow center and a transitional halo to the main center.
Volcanic sour / Oxalis vulcanicola
A plant native to Central America. It grows well in a wide variety and grows well in a container. Suitable for growing indoors and in the garden, in container culture.
Volcanic oxalis bloom with small yellow flowers; their main advantage is their beautifully colored decorative leaves; the degree of decorativeness greatly depends on the lighting.
Features of growing volcanic sorrel
The dormant period of volcanic sorrel is weakly expressed. Loves coolness and diffused light. It is growing well. Watering is required moderately, without drying out. The soil is light, nutritious, with drainage. Good for pruning.
Interesting varieties of volcanic oxalis:
Molten Lava, Sunset Velvet, Burgundy, Plum Crazy, Molten Lava.
Volcanic wood sorrel variety Molten Lava (Molten Lava).
Caring for oxalis indoors
Oxalis are generally light-loving plants, but require shading during hot midday hours.
Oxalis grow well in cool rooms. In winter, during the dormant period, they are kept at a temperature of +12…+14 °C. Ortgis oxalis requires a temperature of +16…+18 °C in winter.
Deppe's oxalis loses its leaves in winter, and during this time the pot with the bulbs is placed in a cool place (+8...+10 °C). In spring, the bulbs are transplanted into fresh soil mixture. Water very rarely until leaves form.
For all other species, watering is plentiful, which is reduced to moderate in the fall.
Oxalis when grown indoors.
During the growing season, oxalis are fed weekly with a weak solution of complete mineral fertilizer. Replant in the spring every couple of years. For planting, use a soil mixture of peat, leaf soil, humus and sand (3:1:1:1).
Oxalis is rarely damaged by diseases and pests.
Top dressing
Replenishment is applied during the period of intensive development of oxalis: from the middle of the spring season until the onset of autumn, every 2-3 weeks. During the dormant period, the flower is not fed. Use universal flower food:
- Flower Paradise and Fertika;
- E-alpha and Florist Micro;
- Master Agro and BioMaster.
Common sorrel - what is it, where does hare cabbage grow
Dilution of the fertilizer is carried out according to the instructions.
How to replant
For replanting, universal soil is suitable, which can be bought at a flower shop. You can prepare the substrate yourself, using in equal proportions:
- sand;
- turf;
- peat.
Apply drainage. The container is wide enough; several bulbs or tubers are planted at once, so that in the future you get a lush bush.
Advice. Oxalis is replanted annually in the spring due to its rapid growth. When reaching the age of 4 years - once every 3 years, so that the plant remains decorative.
Transplantation is carried out carefully, without damaging the root system; the quality of the manipulation determines the rooting and survival of the flower.
Use step-by-step instructions:
- prepare the soil and a new container in advance;
- pour a 2 cm drainage layer into the dish, then add soil;
- water the oxalis generously, remove it from the old pot;
- place the plant in a new flowerpot;
Oxalis roots - fill the voids with soil residues, maintain the same soil level;
- water the seedling and place it in a dimly lit place.
Edible species of sorrel
Oxalis tuberosa / Oxalis tuberosa
Oxalis tubers contain a lot of starch - up to 25%. The color of the tubers is white, yellow, pink, bright red and purple.
The tuberous sorrel is not found in the wild. And it is impossible to propagate it by seeds - the flowers are sterile. It is bred exclusively using tubers.
Read more about growing tuberous oxalis in our material>>>
Tubers of tuber oxalis.
Reproduction of wood oxalis
Propagated by daughter bulbs (Oxalis deppei), or by dividing the bush and cuttings. It all depends directly on the type of sorrel itself.
Plants are usually transplanted and divided after 2-4 years. The distance between plants in the garden is usually 20-30 cm when planting.
Some species grow weeds and it is quite difficult to stop their uncontrolled reproduction.
Care
Almost all types of wood sorrel are quite heat-loving, so very often shelter is provided for it in the winter. They can serve as mulch and ordinary spruce branches. Watering: Requires watering in hot weather. Feeding: mullein infusion or mineral fertilizers will be good care for this plant.
I have a common sorrel growing. I did not fertilize it and rarely watered it, since the plant was in partial shade. Oxalis, which has tubers, is dug up for the winter and stored in a warm room, after washing, separating the children and drying. And in the spring, when the soil is warm enough, they are planted at a distance of 10 cm from each other to a depth of about 4 cm.
More interesting rare species and varieties of wood sorrel with photos
Oxalis Imbricata
Oxalis corymbosa
Oxalis latifolia Maroon Leaf
Oxalis melanosticta
Goat sorrel / Oxalis pes-caprae is a perennial herb native to South Africa. It is now a noxious weed in the United States (particularly coastal California), Europe and Australia. Used as a source of oxalic acid, as food and in folk medicine.
