Growing The Shamrock Plant Is A Matter Of Common Sense, Not Luck
 (Read 500+ times)
By Patricia Wainwright
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When is a shamrock plant truly a shamrock plant?
When it is a trifoliate, in other words when it has leaves divided into three, and the legend is that if you find a four or five-leaved shamrock, or clover, that this is very lucky The Irish shamrock is a symbol of Eire and is worn with pride on St Patrick's Day. In gardening terms, most shamrocks are some type of oxalis, and they are generally non hardy in the winter for planting outside, but all varieties make an excellent houseplant. The best varieties are good for patios, and some can be planted outside, although many varieties cannot tolerate frost. They all grow from dormant rhizomes and are easy to propagate as you just divide the rhizomes.
Varieties of shamrock plant
The oxalis shamrock plant is a trifoliate, and the most popular is oxalis regnellii, or the purple shamrock plant, known for its striking purple leaves. It has wonderful soft pink flowers, with five petals, and is a profuse bloomer. The whole plant looks amazingly delicate but, it is a tough little houseplant and adds a lovely touch in pots on the patio. It can be grown outdoors, but is a bit frost fragile and being fast spreading can take over your beds. The Irish shamrock is some form of clover with green leaves, and it is hotly debated which oxalis variety is actually the true shamrock plant Another shamrock variety is the red shamrock plant botanical name oxalis triangularis, and the foliage is a stunning burgundy red. For a really deep red variety look for the name "Mijke"; the leaves are amazing and look like butterflies, and the flowers are a pale pink.
Care of shamrock plants
All varieties of the shamrock plant are essentially bulbs, and a feature of these is the need to "rest" after flowering which very much looks as if they have died. The leaves droop, are yellow and the whole plant can look rather sad. During dormancy in the autumn and winter, remove the dead leaves, and put the plant in a cool, dark place for a couple of months, then start watering it in late winter and it comes back as beautiful as before. When blooming, the oxalis likes indirect sunshine but not too high a temperature, so this makes it a good patio plant, you can move it round in the shady areas when in bloom and when it is dormant take the pot indoors. Be careful not to over water, the soil should be damp, not soggy, and feed lightly during flowering. It may not be an Irish lucky plant you have, but the shamrock plant is certainly a lovely plant to grow.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
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