How to Grow Shamrock Plants (Oxalis)

Shamrock plants also called oxalis are fun to grow and are low maintenance plants that do well indoors. These perennials come back from year to year and they also bloom. It's nice to grow indoor plants that flower adding a splash to your home.

Perky shamrock plants have clover-shaped (three-lobed) leaves and are common wood sorrel plants. These attractive houseplants can be purchased with foliage colors of red, purple or green. Oxalis should bloom at least twice per year in shades of red, pink, white or yellow. Shamrock plants thrive with minimal care.

Shamrock plants get their names because of their cute clover shaped leaves. The two most popular types of oxalis grown indoors are good-luck plants, which are called Oxalis deppei and Irish shamrocks known as Oxalis acetosella. Good-luck plants have green shamrock shaped leaves with white streaks along each leaf vein and red or white blossoms. Irish shamrocks have a solid green leaf and the same flower colors.

The neatest thing about shamrock plants is that they react to light, folding up their leaves on overcast days or at night and opening them on sunny days when there is light. This phenomenon is called nyctinastic movements.

You can buy oxalis plants in the fall or early spring from nurseries and shamrock seeds may also be available online. The easiest way to get started is by purchasing shamrocks plants. Place the plants in 6-inch containers with a good quality potting soil mix. Plant pots need to be positioned indoors where they can get indirect sunlight. Oxalis plants do not tolerate temperature above 75 degrees during daylight hours. They need nighttime temperatures of 50 or less than 70 degrees. Temperatures differing from these ranges can start plants into early dormancy.

Shamrock plants require a very different watering schedule than most other houseplants that you may have encountered. The soil barely needs to be kept moist with a watering once in 10 or 14 days. This lets soil dry out in between watering. Every two months oxalis containers should be flushed to remove accumulated salts from the soil with room-temperature water. Shamrock plants do best when watered using purified or distilled water rather than tap water.

During periods of growth and flowering, you can fertilize shamrocks about every two or three weeks. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Shamrocks go into dormancy each summer showing dieback on the leaves. Discontinue fertilizing and watering and cut off the dying leaves. Place them in a dark, cool closet for two or maybe three months. When you see new shoots developing move the plant back into a window with sunshine and resume watering as normal. Cheery shamrock plants make a nice addition to your houseplants especially when blooming.

Sources:

http://www.ehow.com/way_5553028_care-oxalis-plants.html

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2002/mar02/mar0206.html