The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Oxalis triangularis
Also called False Shamrock, Purple Shamrock
Oxalis triangularis is a perennial plant with deep maroon, clover-like leaves and white to pale pink flowers, grown mainly as a houseplant. It needs bright indirect light, cool temperatures and a well-drained potting mix, and it should be watered only when the topsoil is dry.
Oxalis triangularis, commonly called false shamrock, is a species of perennial plant in the family Oxalidaceae. It is native to several countries in southern South America. This woodsorrel is typically grown as a houseplant but can be grown outside in USDA climate zones 8a–11, preferably in light shade.
The deep maroon leaves are trifoliate, like species in the clover genus Trifolium which are commonly called shamrock, hence the name "false shamrock". The leaves fold down at night, when disturbed, and when in harsh sunlight. The white or pale pink five-petalled flowers also close at night.
Oxalis triangularis requires bright indirect sunlight supplemented with a cool indoor temperature of 15 °C (59 °F). It can tolerate higher indoor temperatures, but will go into dormancy prematurely and/or begin to take on a "tired" appearance if temperatures exceed 27 °C (81 °F) for prolonged periods of time. It thrives in an average potting soil with good drainage.
Mature plants are cut back to the soil every 3–5 years in early summer or during the dormancy period. Young plants are cut back to the soil every year in early summer or during the dormancy period, until they reach maturity. To avoid frost, they are usually grown indoors in some regions. They are planted in soil rich in humus and well-drained. They should be watered only when the topsoil looks dry. In winter, they should not be watered.
The species is distributed in several countries of South America: Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay. It is a neophyte in the United States in the states of Florida and Louisiana. It is also widely found in East India, abundantly in states like Nagaland and Manipur.
Wood-sorrel · Silver Shamrock · Barrelier's woodsorrel · Creeping woodsorrel · Scurvygrass · Crimson woodsorrel · Broadleaf woodsorrel · Nieuwoudtville Sorrel · Blackspot Sorrel · Mountain woodsorrel · Redwood-sorrel · Bermuda buttercup
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Oxalis triangularis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
