Oxalis iron cross planting and care in open ground

Perennial garden sorrel is a plant that does not have a stunning appearance; its flowers are small, sometimes inconspicuous. However, it is a wonderful complement to many other flowers and can form a thick, fluffy carpet. Red and purple varieties of street sorrel successfully emphasize the richness of the greenery of their neighbors in the garden. Oxalis (another name for oxalis) looks great on alpine hills and rockeries. Another advantage is its love for shaded areas. This applies both to the northern sides and to the shade falling from the lush trees and shrubs growing in the neighborhood.

What does oxalis look like?

Short description

Botanical description of oxalis:

• most often it is a perennial, but there are also annual varieties;
• the rhizome is long and creeping, located very close to the top layer of soil. It has small shoots - nodules or bulbs;
• the stems reach 20 cm in height, ending in trifoliate leaves. There are also four-leaf forms. Externally, the leaves resemble clover;
• variable leaf color depending on the variety (purple, burgundy wood sorrel, one-color or two-color can grow in the garden);
• flowering occurs in May-June and lasts about a month;
• The peduncle is slightly longer than the stems and contains 1-5 buds. The flowers consist of 5 petals and are shaped like a glass. Color options - white, lilac, pink and light yellow;
• the flowers are bisexual, so pollination does not require the participation of insects;
• fruits are capsules containing seeds with a dense skin.

For your information! Oxalis leaves tend to fold in case of bad weather, any mechanical stress, and also at night. In the dark or when the light is too bright, they close.

Oxalis garden folds its leaves in any weather and at night

Garden sorrel: how to grow a flower in open ground

Most gardeners prefer to plant eye-catching flowers with bright blooms in their flower beds.
But some of them still do not forget about such modest creatures as garden sorrel. It will not surprise you with its chic appearance and large inflorescences, but the plant’s character is the most unpretentious. Tall species seem to be created for alpine slides. Compact miniature varieties create a delicate carpet of interesting leaves with small flowers. One of the main advantages of garden sorrel is its natural protection against pests. Sour leaves are not to the taste of any insect.

Types of oxalis

The following types are suitable for indoor and garden cultivation:

• Oxalis Iron Cross;
• pink sorrel;
• Oxalis triangularis;
• carob sorrel;
• butterfly oxalis;
• pressed sorrel, etc.

In total, 800 varieties of plants are known, differing from each other in color, shape and size. The most popular of them are oxalis iron cross, as well as oxalis butterfly, which has leaves of unsurpassed intricate shape and original colors.

The Oxalis iron cross flower, the photo of which is given below, is very similar to ordinary clover in color and shape of the leaves, only in the middle there are dark spots, this is the difference.

The plant comes from Mexico.

Butterfly oxalis has unique triangular purple leaves that fold like butterfly wings at nightfall or on cloudy days. Hence the wonderful name. His homeland is Brazil.

Garden sorrel: wintering features

Oxalis by their nature are perennial plants, but they are unlikely to survive our winters in the open ground. Although some species in the southern regions winter under the condition of shelter.

With the onset of autumn, the foliage of the bushes growing in the flowerbed begins to fade. From this point on, watering should be gradually reduced. Before frost, the sorrel must be dug up. The tubers are either dried or planted in a wide container with light soil and brought indoors. If the flower grows in pots, it is even easier to do this by simply moving the flower pots to the basement. Already in April, the nodules will begin to produce young leaves. Then the container can be exposed to light. With the arrival of warmer weather, you can transplant the sorrel into the flowerbed again.

During wintering in the basement, oxalis is not watered.

Some gardeners simply move the wood sorrel into the house, transforming it into a houseplant. This is quite possible, but it is better to give the flower time to rest between blooms.

Video about growing oxalis in the garden

Reproduction methods

This process is carried out mainly by seeds or division of the rhizome. In the first case, seedlings are sowed in early spring by spreading them over the soil surface. The area/container with the sown seeds should be covered with a special material/glass to create the required humidity. Sowing should be done well and, most importantly, ventilated daily, and the soil should be moistened with a spray bottle. If all conditions are met, after 2-4 weeks the first shoots should appear on the surface of the soil.

The division method is considered a much faster, simpler and more effective way of propagating Iron Cross. All you need is a plant tuber, which can either be purchased at a specialty store or cut from the mother root during the transplanting process.

The tubers are planted in groups of 2-3 in one pot, lightly sprinkled with soil and left in a cool, dark place. The soil should be moistened periodically. When the first shoots appear, the containers with young plants are immediately moved to a brighter place.

Young bush

How to grow Oxalis Depp?

Oxalis deppei (Oxalis deppei, O. Tetraphylla) is a highly ornamental plant. This is the most popular type of oxalis. Other names: Depp's Oxalis, False Shamrock, Flower of Happiness.

It is often grown as a potted plant. According to some flower growers, oxalis is a bearer of great luck. And all thanks to the unusual structure of the leaf. Its leaves are tetralobed (consisting of four simple leaflets, while other oxalis have three simple leaflets). And the leaf shape is similar to clover leaves. That's why so many people buy it as a houseplant.

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But not everyone knows that oxalis can be used in the landscape. For example, Depp's oxalis is ideal for growing in open ground. Its green foliage with dark purple markings stands out from the crowd. It is suitable as a ground cover plant in carpet flower beds and rock gardens.

Depp's Oxalis comes from Mexico (Subtropical mountain climate). This is a charming perennial bulbous plant that grows up to 35 cm high and 10-30 cm wide. The leaves are divided into four sections, very delicate, bright green in color with dark purple markings closer to the center. They are very similar to butterflies that decided to rest a little on a stem. The leaf length is 3-4 cm. Its flowering begins in late spring - early summer and continues until November. The flowers are small, raspberry-red in color, collected in umbrella inflorescences of 5-10 pieces. Sometimes the flowers may have a yellow center. They are hermaphrodites (they have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects.

Oxalis is very easy to grow. It grows from a bulb, and like all bulbous plants, it requires a period of rest every year. Don't throw a plant in the trash when you think it's dying. Oxalis is preparing for a period of rest. With proper care, it will again delight you with its beauty. The first sign that the plant will soon rest is the death of the leaves.

Growing in open ground

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Once you have received the bulbs, they should be planted immediately. If this is not possible, then keep them in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf (in a paper bag) before planting.

Read also: Hyacinth flowers planting and care in open ground

Agricultural technology is the same as for gladioli. Depp's oxalis is suitable for growing in well-lit areas of the garden (requires more sunlight than other species). Cannot grow in the shade. Prefers soils that are sandy or medium loamy, acidic or neutral, moist, with good drainage. It does not like dry or heavy soils. Doesn't like lime. Prefers southern aspect. The bulbs are planted in groups at a distance of 7-10 cm from each other. Planting depth is about 5 cm (the closer to the soil surface, the better).

Frost resistance is low - oxalis can withstand -12.2 ° C (if the soil is well drained, otherwise - temperatures down to about -5 ° C). Therefore, the bulbs need to be dug up for the winter. They are collected in late autumn and stored in a cool place protected from frost. And in the spring they are planted in the ground again. In areas with warm winters, oxalis is left to overwinter in the soil (it is well mulched with a 5-centimeter layer of mulch).

Growing in pots

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For planting oxalis, a mixture of compost and leaf soil with the addition of sand (2:1:1) is suitable. Depp's oxalis requires a lot of light (with no more than 25 percent shade). Therefore, place it in living rooms on a sunny window (but at the same time protect it from the hot rays of the sun at midday). The optimal temperature for growing indoors is 22-24 °C during the day and about 15 °C at night. Water the plant sparingly. The soil in the pot should be slightly moist. Allow the soil to dry out a little between each watering, and do not water the plant until it is dry to the touch. Feed oxalis monthly throughout the growing season using a balanced, water-soluble houseplant fertilizer (apply according to package directions). Fertilize every two to three weeks during active growth. Stop feeding the plant in autumn and winter (during the dormant period). During this period, stop watering. Move the pot with the plant to a dark, cool room and keep it for three months. The potted plant should be replanted every 2 years.

Attention

! All parts of wood sorrel (leaves, flowers and bulbs) are edible. Oxalis leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their pungent aroma. The leaves are edible, but should be consumed in small quantities as oxalic acid can interfere with the body's absorption of calcium (leading to nutrient deficiencies). Oxalis leaves and flowers can be consumed fresh or boiled. At the same time, both the leaves and flowers are very refreshing and thirst quenching when chewed fresh. They also make an excellent salad dressing.

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Very simple plants include wood sorrel (Oxalis) from the sorrel family. Oxalis is also called sour or Depp's oxalis (from Latin oxys - sour). South America, Europe, Africa, Australia - this is its distribution area. The forests of central Russia are also suitable for this plant. Therefore, oxalis is a popular herbaceous plant in many countries. And the leaf of the plant - the shamrock - was so popular with the Irish that it adorns their coat of arms.

The plant is also called hare cabbage. And it got its book name because of the sour taste of the leaves, rich in vitamins. And therefore, the one who eats sorrel looks very fresh.

In total, there are approximately 800 different species of this flower in the world, which can look like grass, a bush, or a subshrub. Some varieties have rhizomes, bulbs or tubers. Oxalis may have three or more leaves. Flowers in the form of umbrella-shaped inflorescences can be white, pink, yellow, lavender and purple. The fruits are in the form of boxes that burst with a bang after ripening. In this case, the scattering of seeds occurs within a radius of about 2 m. Among the entire variety of these plants, the largest number are ornamental species, although there are also weeds. These Oxalis really look like weeds.

Among all types of oxalis, there are several dozen that are most suitable for growing at home. These include:

• Oxalis Dippey Iron Cross (also called Oxalis Iron Cross or Depp's oxalis). A small pink flower that blooms only in the summer months.
• Oxalis four-leaf. The plant is quite shade-tolerant, so in winter the four-leaf sorrel is kept in the shade.
• Oxalis Versicolor. It has another name - variegated sorrel.
• Regnell's sorrel. Interestingly, Regnell's wood sorrel prefers a cold room.
• Oxalis Ortgis, which came to us from Peru. Oxalis Ortgis has brown-red stems and is an evergreen species of Oxalis Oxalis, just like Carob Oxalis.
• Oxalis ferruginosa, with white flowers. Ferruginous oxalis comes from Chile and Argentina.
• Purple oxalis, which is characterized by obverse-heart-shaped leaves and pink flowers. Purple oxalis is very pretty.
• Rose sorrel or, as it is also popularly called, clover of happiness. There are various signs on this score, from which we know that great family happiness and a lot of love await the person who has such a flower growing in his house. Although this is a superstition, many people believe in it.
• Oxalis volcanica, with yellow flowers. Volcanic acid is used mainly to decorate alpine slides.
• Red sorrel, which has fairly large shoots - more than 40 cm. In addition, red sorrel has leaves that are fleecy at the base.

Read also: Balsam fir Nana planting and care in open ground

Oxalis is recognized by many peoples of the world as a flower of happiness. The flowerpot is quite often given to family, friends, and relatives before the New Year as a gift.

Golden Cape can be considered a real beauty. All types of this plant are beautiful, but Iron Cross oxalis (Iron) is incredibly beautiful. The martian sorrel is also very pretty. But tuber sorrel and fleshy sorrel are grown for the purpose of using their tubers for food.

A rather rare species is wood sorrel. An interesting post appeared on the flower forum from one of the visitors, who wrote that she really wanted to buy this tree-like plant. And I even bought two. Their structure is exactly the same as that of a tree. She placed the flowers in one wide pot. “But the plants,” she says, “don’t grow, and the foliage turns yellow, withers and dries.” A friend advised me to plant both “trees” and distribute them so that they “lived” separately. But that didn't help either. What to do? Why do the leaves wither? How to care? As it turned out, this happens if the soil is very acidic (pH less than 5.5).

There is also street sorrel with green leaves and burgundy spots on the tubers.

It happens that large sedum is mistaken for hare cabbage: their external features are very similar. But these are two completely different plants, and among the sedums of various types there are many toxic ones. By the way, most toxic plants are used for medicinal purposes, including such popular ones as wood sorrel, sedum, and lily of the valley. But duckweed is non-toxic, but it removes various toxic substances from the intestines.

Where can I plant sorrel?

Oxalis is suitable for a rock garden, or a small rocky garden under trees, or an alpine hill.

Oxalis in a rocky garden

Some varieties of sorrel are intended for growing in pots - indoors or outdoors.

Moth sorrel in a flowerpot in the garden

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Oxalis - growing secrets

Post by TatyanaK » Jan 10, 2010, 11:05 pm

Oxalis (lat. Oxalis) Oxalis family (Oxalidaceae).

In general, there are many varieties of them. They are all bulbous. In winter they have a period of rest, but may not sleep. If the above-ground part has died off, you need to place the pot with the plant in a cool place of 12-14 degrees. Water very rarely. In spring, sprouts appear from the bulbs. Requires good lighting. In summer it can also grow outdoors, although direct sunlight causes burns. Watering in winter is moderate after the soil dries, in hot weather - abundantly. I have a wood sorrel growing now, Oxalis triangularis.

Re: Oxalis

Post by Tasha » Jan 10, 2010, 11:45 pm

Kislitsa

Post by YASAMIN » Jan 11, 2010, 00:18

Re: Oxalis

Hummingbird Post » Jan 11, 2010, 02:40 p.m.

Kislitsa

Post by Bore » Jan 11, 2010, 05:16 pm

I agree with everyone who spoke: - oxalis-oxalis are bulbous and rhizomatous; - the plant is absolutely unpretentious; - may go into retirement (it happens that it is difficult to wake up later), or it may grow and even bloom all winter (as I have now

), although not so abundantly

Let me add that all my family simply adore our sorrel - for the unusual butterfly leaves that it folds and straightens. And for the delicate bell flowers, amazingly in harmony with the color of the leaves.

Re: Oxalis

Post by YASAMIN » 23 Feb 2010, 08:48

Re: Oxalis

Post by Bore » Feb 23, 2010, 10:49 am

Kislitsa

Post by YASAMIN » 23 Feb 2010, 11:01

Re: Oxalis

Post by Bore » Feb 23, 2010, 11:24 am

This is a rhizome

There are also bulbous oxalis. I had one like this, green tops, red flowers - the bulbs are shaped exactly like onions, but tiny.

By and large, the tuber, the bulb and the rhizome are one and the same: a modified shoot, most often underground, serves to store water and food. But botanists are terrible bores, and strictly distinguish between bulbous, tuberous and rhizomatous plants.

Re: Oxalis

Post by Viola » Feb 24, 2010, 11:25 am

Kislitsa

Post by Bore » 24 Feb 2010, 13:51

Kislitsa

Post by Vasilisa » 27 Nov 2010, 16:43

These are all varieties of oxalis, about a little - the most masterpiece.

Re: Oxalis

Post by Cumilla » 27 Nov 2010, 16:54

Re: Oxalis

Post by Vasilisa » 27 Nov 2010, 17:08

And their leaves are different, if I nurse you until the summer I’ll show you, I want to say, maybe someone doesn’t know that a cut-off leaf of sorrel Good morning, it gives roots well in water and therefore reproduces easily, in the fall, when the plant retires, I cut off the leaves and By spring, whole thickets are growing, and one more thing: the wood sorrel likes to spend the summer on the balcony.

And the varietal flowers have different yellow and pink

Re: Oxalis

Post by Olga Rasputina » November 27, 2010, 10:52 pm

Application

Very often this mildly poisonous herb is used for medicinal purposes. This is an excellent medicine for the treatment of colds and helps strengthen the body. The flower is a storehouse of medicines. It promotes:

• healing of wounds, ulcers, boils;
• normalization of gastric juice acidity;
• blood clotting;
• lowering blood pressure;
• improving metabolism.

Very effective in the treatment of gastritis, diathesis, diseases of the gallbladder and bladder. Oxalis lichen successfully treats the disease of the same name. For entire groups of diseases, treatment with hare cabbage is indicated: cardiovascular, skin, digestive. By the way, anyone who eats sorrel has no digestive problems.

The leaves of the wood sorrel Oxalis are used for medicinal purposes. The period May-June accounts for the greatest accumulation of beneficial medicinal substances. In this regard, the herb is collected for medicinal purposes at this time. Therefore, whoever eats sorrel will feel healthy. After collection, the lightly crushed plants are dried in the shade and stored for 1 year in wooden or cardboard packages. And all these medicinal properties are provided by the presence of a large amount of vitamin C. Only currant berries and primroses have similar properties.

Hare cabbage is edible. It is used to prepare many dishes that differ not only in their original taste, but also in their usefulness. For this purpose, the leaves are used without any processing. Original dishes are eaten by those who love sorrel Oxalis. The simplest dish is a salad, to which you can add vegetables, eggs, onions, and green peas. Dill, parsley, salt and spices - to taste.

Rest assured, whoever eats the sorrel plant in May will provide a supply of vitamin C for the whole year.

The most comfortable conditions for plants in the house - table

Reproduction

Propagates using:

Seeds are sown in spring. Microscopic seeds make it possible not to fill them up after sowing on the surface of the substrate. Then carefully spray the soil.

Read also: Hydrangea paniculata levana planting and care in open ground

The plant can also be propagated by nodules. To do this, at the end of February - beginning of March, take 6-10 nodules, plant them in one container and sprinkle a layer of about 1 cm of soil on top. Until roots form, the plant is kept in a cool (7-10 ° C) room, with moderate watering. After about a month, the temperature is increased.

The root is divided by hand or with a knife during transplantation. This operation is performed every year, usually in the spring.

There are species that reproduce by cuttings. Planting cuttings occurs in this way: take previously prepared cuttings, insert them into the sand and water them moderately. After about 3 weeks, roots will appear. In this case, it is imperative to ensure that the room temperature is about 24 ° C and that the cuttings are not exposed to direct sunlight.

Subtleties of care

Oxalis is a fairly unpretentious plant, but certain care procedures are required, which, if used correctly, will certainly help to grow it healthy and blooming. These include the following:

• Temperature and light conditions. Oxalis loves light very much, but it should be moderate. The ideal option is diffused light. Under no circumstances leave the flower in bright sunlight. As for the temperature regime, Iron Cross does not need any special conditions: it will feel comfortable on the windowsill (about 20-24 degrees).

Advice. In order for oxalis to feel good at any time of the year, you can periodically take it out into the fresh air in the summer, avoiding drafts, and keep it indoors in the winter at a temperature not lower than 16-18 degrees Celsius.

• Watering. Oxalis loves moisture very much, so you should water the pot with the plant efficiently and regularly, but in no case should you overuse the procedure: the water should not stagnate. In the autumn, you should reduce watering, and in winter, make sure that the soil remains slightly moist.

• Feeding. Iron Cross loves to “eat” very much, so fertilizing should be done quite often: literally every 2-3 weeks throughout the growing season. A mineral complex for flowering plants is perfect for these purposes.

Advice. In order for all microelements from fertilizers applied to the soil to reach the root system of the plant, after the fertilizing procedure, the soil should be thoroughly loosened.

• Transfer. Young animals should be replanted every year, and in the future the procedure is carried out approximately once every 2-3 years. For replanting, you will need a container filled with a small drainage layer, topped with a sufficient amount of high-quality soil.

Although the plant is not susceptible to various diseases and pests, in some cases its root system may rot. This kind of trouble occurs due to the lack of drainage in the pot or its insufficient thickness (it should be at least 6-7 cm), or excessively frequent watering.

These are all the subtleties that you should know for the successful cultivation of an unusual and very beautiful plant like Oxalis Iron Cross. Good luck!

Reproduction of oxalis

Propagation of oxalis using tubers formed near the rhizome is preferable. Bulbous species produce bulbs. The children are planted in the substrate prepared as indicated above, 7-8 pieces each, deepening them well into the ground and sprinkling them with a thin layer of soil.

This is done at the end of winter at a temperature of 12-14℃. Then it is necessary to regularly water the plant, and after 8-10 months the development of a new leaf rosette and underground roots will begin.

Before replanting later, it is necessary for the root system to strengthen and adapt to the new growing location.