General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 12 to 18 inches
Plant Spread: 12 to 18 inches
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Variegated
Other: Purple
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Pink
White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Other: Blooms intermittently throughout the year; some oxalis will bloom all year if given enough light
Underground structures: Rhizome
Suitable Locations: Houseplant
Terrariums
Uses: Groundcover
Dried Flower
Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Birds
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Toxicity: Other: All plants containing oxalic acid can be toxic to humans if enough is ingested.
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Offsets
Bulbs
Other: bulblets, tubers
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Goes Dormant

Image
Common names
  • False Shamrock
  • Wood Sorrel
  • Wood-Sorrel
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionaceae
  • Synonym: Oxalis regnellii
  • Synonym: Oxalis papilionacea

Photo Gallery
Location: Charleston, SC
Date: 2022-03-22
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2015-09-22
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-05-29
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-05-29
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-05-29
Location: Fairfax, VA
Photo by Hamwild
Location: SE Michigan
Date: 2018-06-15
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-03
Photo by Hamwild
Location: SE Michigan
Date: 2018-06-15
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-12-04
Location: Fairfax, VA | October 2022
Location: full sun - zone 7
Date: 2012-10-03
Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: 2018-07-04

Date: 2018-10-15

Date: 2017-10-25
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Date: 2022-04-17

Date: 2023-04-12
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2018-01-16
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-07
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-12-04
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Feb 18, 2012
Photo taken at Al's Garden Center, Woodburn, Oregon

Date: 2018-07-13

Date: 2015-02-09
Location: my garden in St Louis
Date: 2011-05-08
Location: Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2001-09-05
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-06
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-06
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-06
Location: Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-03-17
Location: my garden
Date: 2016-10-22
Location: Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-03-31
Ay Cooks Nursery
Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: 2018-07-04

Date: 2013-02-13

Date: 2013-02-13

Date: 2013-02-13
Photo by pinkiris

Date: 2015-02-09

Date: 2015-02-09
Location: my garden in St Louis
Date: 2011-05-08

Date: 2014-02-07

Date: 2014-02-07

Date: 2014-02-07

Date: 2013-02-23

Date: 2013-02-23
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-06

Date: 2012-03-17
Location: Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-03-31
At Cooks Nursery
Location: Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-03-31
At Cooks Nursery
Location: Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT) - St Louis
Date: 8-9-11
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: Spring
  • Uploaded by Joy

Date: 2014-01-20

Date: 2014-01-20

Date: 2014-01-20
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image Image Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by sallyg (central Maryland - Zone 7b) on Jan 27, 2019 9:16 AM concerning plant:
    This plant is a real eyecatcher at my library- many people have never seen one. After 'what is that' they often ask 'where can I get one'. I think getting bulbs is easy but finding the plant in a nursery, pretty rare. Their stems are very fragile and I doubt it transports well.
    A summer of growing in a pot outside will yield many of the funny 'mini pink pine cone' looking tubers. While actively growing, the tubers have a grey, juicy, carrot like segment at the bottom. I let the pots dry in fall, store them dry, in fall, then start them again. After storage for winter, they can be a little slow to get sprouted. Plant them crowded in the pot as they are "airy" and it takes a lot to look like a full plant. But after a growing season, that pot will be full of tubers.
    It has been somewhat unfaithful indoors in winter for me, leaves dry off and drop. It is underplanted in my fan palm, which I bring inside. Pacific Bulb Society says this is native to marshy areas. Maybe it is indoor dryness that makes mine dry out, as I try not to overwater most other plants. More likely I think it likes bright light. They can take a lot of sun if planted outside and well watered.
    May be winter hardy in zone 8 ish, I had them live one winter but not the next.
Plant Events from our members
UncleWill On November 26, 2018 Potted up
Potted up and brought inside for winter
» Post your own event for this plant

« Add a new plant to the database

» Search the Wood Sorrels Database: by characteristics or by cultivar name

« See the general plant entry for Wood Sorrels (Oxalis)

« The Wood Sorrels Database Front Page

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Snow White, Deep Green"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.