What color are the leaves? I don't think any of mine are a foot long, although they can get tall. Especially if they aren't getting enough sun. I have three different kinds of non-hardy oxalis, have them all in pots.

The ones with larger leaves generally have longer stems I think.

Thanks for your input. I'm posting some gallery pics of these. The largest one is about 3 weeks old and the stems were really long within a couple of days of sprouting and there was a bloom before any leaves even. I kid you not! Is this common? I also measured the one that looks the longest and it is nearly 14 inches. They are on the back porch, not in the sun and it is close to the house but it's definitely not dark there. Maybe they do need more light. They are green with burgundy spots on the leaves and the flowers are pink.

Nancy

Where are the pics? This sounds very odd for oxalis. Thick as a pen ... no way! I've a friend who collects these and none are thick, long sure but not thick.
Mike

Mike, lol, you misread what I said. They are as big as a pen REFILL! The pics are in the gallery on this forum. Go look. ;-) Nancy

Nancy,

That is oxalis deppei 'Iron Cross'. They are originally from Mexico I think. They want full sun and bigger pots than you have them in.

I planted them in the ground the first year, when I dug them in the fall they had HUGE gray roots, looked like carrots. The carrots dried up over the winter, but left a gazillion little bulbs that are all blooming size. I now have them in 11" diameter pots that are 10" deep. I brought the whole pots in for the winter, didn't dig them up or separate. They died back and resprouted in the spring.

The flowers have separate stalks from the leaves, and they just about come up blooming. Fastest I've seen for any plant for planting to bloom. I think the standard for them is 8-10" tall, the flower stalks are taller than the leaf stalks. The less sun you give them, the taller and thinner they will be, because they are reaching for the sun.

These are very cool plants, the flowers fold up in the afternoon. Very carefree, just keep them watered and they will bloom like crazy.

I have one batch of mutants that don't have the full red coloring, just an outline with the rest of the leaf green. Flowers are the same color though. The flower color changes a little bit depending on temperature I think.

You might also like O massoniana - low-growing with feathery leaves and dainty little soft orange flowers. Needs full sun and flowers (at this end)in May-June (autumn/winter).

And O. versicolor has pretty white flowers with a red 'candy stripe' effect when the flowers are closed. It also has feathery leaves, but more green and substantial than the O. massoniana. They make a lovely show in spring - particularly in a pretty planting bowl.

However friendly they look, Oxalis are probably safest in a pot! Repot each year, otherwise the bulbs start to get quite tiny and you end up with a deep mass of skinny bulblets, some leaves and few flowers.

Thanks Vetivert, I need to check those out. So far I just have O. deppei, O. purpurea and my newest is O. vulcanicola (black leaves and yellow flowers). This last is growing like nuts, it's about doubled in size since I repotted it.

Not sure about Nancy's zone, but up here I pot them to save them. It's easier than trying to find all the bulbs in the fall to dig them up, because they won't survive our winters.

Thanks for the information. I think I'm going to really like these! Just what I needed, another addiction! I didn't know there were so many different kinds. I can't wait until the mixed ones come up to see what they are. Who knows I may get something you don't have and we'll be able to trade someday. Do they mulitply like other bulbs if you keep repotting?

Nancy

bump bump bump

I have two kinds of Oxalis - one with bulbs and today I bought one (supposed to be perennial - Oxalis Pink Crassipes) but there are no bulbs - only roots. Is that unusual? - Both plants look alike, but now I wonder if the one with roots may NOT be a perennial.

Thanks for any replies

Carrie