Oxalis (60 photos) - types, cultivation and care at home

Oxalis attracts the attention of gardeners with its exotic leaf structure and ease of care. The plant is known throughout the world as an ornamental crop "Oxalis" and... a weed. The perennial is grown on balconies, gardens and flower beds. It is also found in the wild. Do not confuse sorrel with clover. In all of these cases we are talking about different plants.

general information

Oxalis got its name from the characteristic sour taste of its leaves. By nature, it is a flowering grass from South America, which is also called false clover. There are perennials and annuals, but they are very similar in appearance.

Oxalis has a creeping superficial rhizome, which gradually becomes overgrown with growths similar to small tubers. The height of ornamental grass is up to 30 cm, and usually even less. At the same time, the length of the palmate leaves on long petioles easily reaches 15 cm. Interestingly, depending on the weather and time of day, the leaves can droop and rise.

At the end of spring, the wood sorrel blooms and continues to bloom for another month. Each peduncle bears one or several tubular buds that open into beautiful curved funnels. The most common shades are white, yellow and pink.

Photo: oir.mobi

Types of oxalis

Oxalis is very diverse, but only a few species have taken root in Russia. In indoor conditions, you can still experiment with breeding hybrids, but in the garden we advise you to stick to time-tested classics!

Common sorrel

The most common perennial species that grows in coniferous forests and gets along well with mushrooms. The palmate leaves are assembled from intricate heart-shaped fragments. The flowers are solitary, light, but with distinct dark veins.

Photo: goodhouse.ru

Variegated wood sorrel

A very unusual appearance with multi-colored buds - white with a burgundy border. Variegated varieties also differ in the shape of their leaves, which consist of thin, long parts. At night, the flowers curl into a tube.

Photo: zen.yandex.ru

Triangular oxalis

These are the same purple leaves that are so reminiscent of butterfly wings. This species is most often grown indoors. It looks even more bizarre during flowering, when long whitish tube buds bloom.

Photo: cvetyphoto.blogspot.com

Tuberous sorrel

It is an edible plant that is grown in its native countries along with other garden tubers. This sorrel is valued for its high starch content. But in general it is also quite decorative with its pink flowers.

Photo: oir.mobi

Ferruginous oxalis

Great option for gardens and containers. It grows into a small but very dense bush up to 15 cm wide. The leaf segments are folded as if in a fan. The flowers have a beautiful pink-silver hue.

Photo: agroinstryment.ru

Four Leaf Oxalis

Its showy leaves are composed of four segments and are almost brown in the center. But the edge is light green. The bush is small, up to 15 cm, and, in fact, it is a lush rosette on a short stem. It blooms in loose umbrella inflorescences of red, pink or purple flowers.

Photo: sunhome.ru

Carob sorrel

An excellent ground cover that grows so quickly and vigorously that some consider it a weed. The leaves are collected from heart-shaped segments of burgundy or brown.

Photo: facenewss.ru

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Description

There are various varieties of oxalis, among which are tuberous and bulbous, annual and perennial. As can be seen from the photo of the wood sorrel, its leaves are alternate, trifoliate or palmately complex, and have a complex bend.

They fold in the evening and open in the morning. The same reaction is caused by mechanical irritation and bright sunlight.

The color of the leaves depends on the specific variety and can be green, dark red or lilac. Flowers are usually small in size and regular in shape. The color of the petals is snow-white, coral, purple and yellow. They close in the evening hours and before rain.

The seeds ripen in a capsule that bursts when touched if they are ripe. Species such as four-leaf and triangular sorrel are usually grown in the apartment.

For the garden, the best options would be wood sorrel: Bouvie, common, ferruginous, multi-colored, Obtusa, etc.

Oxalis care

Oxalis loves warmth and does not tolerate frost. In the summer it can be taken outside or planted in the garden, but wintering is strictly indoors. Otherwise, it causes almost no problems, despite its exotic appearance.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for sorrel is from 20 degrees, but it definitely needs fresh air. In summer, it is better to move indoor flowerpots to the balcony or at least ventilate them more often. In winter, keep the temperature to 12-18 degrees.

Photo: profile.ru

Lighting

Oxalis definitely needs a long sunny day, up to 14 hours. But at the same time, diffused light is desirable, so by noon it is shaded. Indoor flowerpots will need additional lighting in winter.

Photo: gardendesign.com

Watering

In summer, sorrel is watered frequently and intensively, as soon as the top layer dries. Garden sorrel usually has enough natural precipitation. During the dormant period, watering once every 1-1.5 months is sufficient. In addition, in hot weather, sorrel can be sprayed. But in general, it adapts well to any air humidity.

Photo: cvetyphoto.blogspot.com

The soil

Choose airy, light soil for deciduous plants. All-purpose mixtures are also suitable, but you should add baking powder to them. In the garden, the soil is dug up in advance with peat and humus.

Photo: domashniecvety.ru

Fertilizers and fertilizing

For feeding, use mineral mixtures with nitrogen and phosphorus - for the leaves and root system. But a very low concentration is needed - twice as weak as the recommended norm. Garden species can be fed with organic matter, and indoor species with wood ash and succinic acid.

Photo: oir.mobi

Trimming

To keep the sorrel looking neat, it needs to be thinned out periodically. This applies to both indoor bushes and garden ground cover species. And always remove dry leaves and faded buds.

Photo: domashniecvety.ru

Wintering

This is true for garden species. In the fall, the above-ground part of the sorrel dies, and then you need to carefully dig up the tubers and leave them to overwinter in a dark, cool place. At the beginning of spring, dig them into the soil with sand in containers, and only then plant them in the garden.

In the southern regions, tubers can be left to overwinter in open ground. But still, after the ground part dies, you need to mulch them with a thick layer so that they do not freeze.

Photo: domashniecvety.ru

Transfer

Before transplanting, you must first stop watering and dry the earthen ball. After this, carefully transfer the plant into a pot a couple of centimeters larger. This is necessary, among other things, to stimulate the growth and formation of daughter tubers. In most cases, wood sorrel calmly tolerates transshipment even during flowering.

Photo: facenewss.ru

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Poisonous or not?

In folk medicine, oxalis has long been used to treat certain diseases and strengthen the body. In addition, the leaves of the plant, containing vitamin C, oxalic, malic and succinic acid, were added to food.

Despite this, sorrel is not included in the list of medicinal or edible herbs and is considered conditionally toxic . It is not recommended to be used as food or used for self-medication, since the high content of oxalic acid is harmful to people suffering from diseases of the liver, kidneys, and pancreas.

Reference! In Latin American countries, tuber oxalis is cultivated as an agricultural crop. Edible tubers, rich in starch, are eaten fresh or dried after cooking.

Reproduction and planting of sorrel

Garden sorrel is planted with seeds directly into the ground by mid-spring. After just 2 weeks, the seedlings hatch, but throughout the first year the plant grows roots and rosettes. Already on the second day, the bushes acquire their decorative properties and bloom. In the garden, young plants are planted to a depth of about 3.5 cm and in increments of 10-12 cm.

At home, wood sorrel is most often propagated by cuttings, and any part of the plant is suitable. Even individual leaf segments take root well. But it is better to root them immediately in loose soil with sand and humus. In the warmth and sun, after 3 weeks they will take root safely.

Photo: koffkindom.ru

How does oxalis reproduce?

Oxalis (oxalis) can reproduce in one of the following ways:

bulbs;
nodules;
cuttings;
seeds.

Propagation of oxalis by bulbs is the easiest way

Reproduction by bulbs or nodules is carried out when replanting a plant in the spring

Bulbous species of oxalis are very easily propagated by bulbs. Usually they grow a lot over the course of a season, then they are stored in the winter in the same pot in which the sorrel grew, and in the spring, during transplantation, the flower can be propagated.

They do it like this:

The roots are taken out of the pot and washed in warm water.
The bulbs are separated from each other.
Dip them for 15 minutes in a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, in Kornevin.
Then they plant several pieces in a small pot and place them in a warm place.
When sprouts appear, the pots are moved to a bright windowsill.

The same applies when propagating oxalis species whose roots are in the form of nodules.

Cuttings

Another method involves propagating this indoor flower by taking cuttings from an adult plant. The stages are as follows:

Cut off a stem with several leaves at the base.
Excess leaf blades are cut off, leaving 1-2 on the cutting.
The cutting is placed in water.
After about 2-3 weeks, roots and new shoots will appear.
When the sprouts grow to 1.5 cm, the rooted cuttings are planted in a loose substrate.

Cuttings are an effective way to propagate oxalis

The seed method has not taken root among flower growers. Indoor oxalis species reproduce well vegetatively, so there is no need to propagate them using this method. And garden forms, for example, carob oxalis, reproduce well by self-sowing.

Pest and disease control

Oxalis has excellent strong immunity, which is partly due to its high acid content. Even fungus and spider mites rarely affect it. Therefore, no measures are needed here. Just use medicinal products and adjust the humidity!

Photo: lifeflower.ru

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Kislitsa – photo

Oxalis is very beautiful and good in any conditions. We invite you to take a closer look at what its fancy leaves are worth in our photo gallery!

Photo: domashniecvety.ru

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