Scientific Name
Oxalis albicans Kunth
Common Name(s)
Radishroot Woodsorrel
Synonyms
Acetosella albicans, Oxalis corniculata subsp. albicans, Xanthoxalis albicans
Scientific Classification
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Oxalis
Flower
Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Summer
Description
Oxalis albicans is a perennial herb with glaucous and gray-green to yellowish-green leaves that are distinctly hairy, with three leaflets, and up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) long. The lemon-yellow petals splay outward around a hub of stamens-like stout spokes on a cartwheel. Fruits are fleshy, angular-cylindrical, up to 0.7 inches (1.7 cm) long, explosive capsules.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 6a to 9b: from −10 °F (−23.3 °C) to 30 °F (−1.1 °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. Oxalis can often bloom all winter if kept in a sunny spot. Keep the soil moist but never soggy. Allow the top 2 inches (5 cm) of soil to dry out before watering. It is best to water an Oxalis from the bottom so that the thin, fragile stems of the plant don't get waterlogged and the soil stays loose. Oxalis grows 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 monthly in the spring and summer when actively growing with a basic houseplant food at ½ the recommended strength. Never feed an Oxalis when it is dormant and the bulbs are resting.
The Oxalis doesn't need a big container as it is rather dense and compact for its size. The original potting will be easy, and repotting after that won't have to be done too much unless you want to change up the pot for looks.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Oxalis.
Origin
This species is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Links
- Back to genus Oxalis
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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