Skip to main content

Plant of the week: Oxalis, an easy-care, purple plant

Whether you got this plant as a gift and want to be sure to care for it properly, or you’ve been dying to get one and want to be sure you’re equipped to care for it before purchasing, you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll be covering every aspect of caring for the oxalis plant. This stunning plant is lovingly given as gifts during St. Patrick’s Day and is a favorite among purple plant lovers.

We’re sure you’re going to want to share this one on your social feeds as soon as you get your hands on it. So let’s make sure you’re ready to take care of it!

oxalis plant
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is an oxalis?

There is a good chance you’ve never heard this plant called by its real name. The oxalis plant is better known as the shamrock plant; however, there is some confusion around the difference between a shamrock and a clover. To put it simply, not all clovers are shamrocks, but all shamrocks are clovers. But don’t feel bad about getting confused; even botanists can’t decide which clovers are shamrocks. Luckily, we know that the variety called oxalis, which we will be talking about today, is undoubtedly a shamrock and a beautiful one.

Recommended Videos

You’ve likely seen these stunning purple plants around grocery stores, hardware stores, and garden centers around St. Patrick’s Day. They have three heart-shaped leaves, and when given enough light, they produce delicate tiny white flowers. The leaves open when the sun comes up and close back down when it sets. These little dancing plants are given as gifts and often die because of improper care. However, they’re relatively easy to care for if you know what you’re doing. They can grow up to 12 inches tall and wide, and if grown outdoors in window boxes or garden beds, they can be pretty invasive.

oxalis plant with white flowers
Ryutara Tsukata / Pexels

Care tips for oxalis

Anytime we gardeners get a new plant, there are a few weeks of tension as you wait to see how the plant adapts to its new home. Luckily for you, the oxalis plant is a hardy plant that will likely adapt to your conditions like a champ. To ensure you’re giving it everything it needs, here are the care tips that will allow this plant to thrive.

Water

Like most plants, the oxalis plant does not like to sit in water. So wait to water this beauty when the soil is mostly dry, then give it a good soaking. The best way to avoid root rot is to keep the plant in its nursery pot or plant it in a pot with a drainage hole. When you water it, take it to the sink and gently let the water run through until it comes out the bottom. Leave it in your sink until the water stops dripping and return it to its tray. This will allow the soil to soak up as much as possible and give the plant the space to dry out and not get its feet too wet.

Light

This plant can be grown indoors and out, but its lighting needs to change a bit depending on where you decide to keep it. When indoors, the oxalis plant will prefer a bright window with some direct sunlight. This will give the plant plenty of light and encourage it to grow those pretty little flowers. However, when moved outdoors, this plant often shrivels up and dies when placed in direct sunlight. So be sure to find a shadier spot for this plant when outside.

Food

Feeding the shamrock plant is easy; it needs monthly feeding during the growing seasons but doesn’t need anything during the dormant season.

Humidity

When it comes to humidity needs, this plant is easy! It isn’t sensitive to low or high humidity and will be perfectly happy with the average humidity level in your home. Just remember that the more humid the location is, the less watering the plant will need.

Temperature

Anywhere between 65 degrees and 85 degrees will keep this pretty purple plant happy. However, once temperatures hit 60 degrees, you’ll start to see some damage to the plant. So if you’re keeping this plant outside and want to bring it in before the weather kills it, keep an eye on the forecast.

Toxicity

Unfortunately, this plant is toxic to pets and humans if ingested. So if you have a pet that likes to take a little sample of your plants, you might want to avoid getting the oxalis or place it in a room or location where the pet can’t get to it.

You’ve done the first and most crucial step of ensuring your oxalis plant will last you for years and years: educating yourself. Remember not to let the plant sit in too much water, and don’t forget that it likes shade outside, but a bright sunny spot when inside.

Rebecca Wolken
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rebecca's has written for Bob Villa and a Cincinnati based remodeling company. When she's not writing about home remodeling…
Croton plant care guide: Grow this colorful beauty with ease
Growing your own colorful croton plant
Colorful croton plant

When it comes to bringing vibrant colors into your home, colorful houseplants are an excellent option. There are many fantastic choices, with flowers and foliage plants that come in a wide array of colors. Crotons are one of the most popular plants for this, as their mottled leaves are colorful and unique, with a lovely tie-die-like pattern.

If you want to add a gorgeous croton plant to your indoor garden, then you’re in luck! We’ll explain everything you need to know about growing and caring for these stunning plants in this guide to croton plant care guide.
Planting crotons

Read more
How to propagate an anthurium for vibrant blooms
Here are three different anthurium propagation methods to get started
An anthurium in a pot

Anthurium plants, or flamingo flowers, are some of the most stunning houseplants that you’ll come across. A beautiful fixture in any home, they feature waxy, heart-shaped leaves and bold, glossy flowers. While anthurium plants are fairly easy to find in nurseries and online, there are other ways to get them. If you or someone you know already has an anthurium plant, you can propagate it to create new anthurium plants. Want to try it for yourself? Here's everything you need to know about how to propagate anthurium plants.
Method #1: How to propagate an anthurium by cuttings

Can you grow an anthurium from a cutting?
Long story short, yes. Growing an anthurium with a cutting isn't the most common way to propagate it, but it is possible. You can start a new anthurium with a cutting, but it has to be a specific kind of cutting — you want a stem cutting, not a leaf cutting.

Read more
Desert rose care guide: How to grow this stunning succulent
Keeping your desert rose happy indoors
Dark pink desert rose flowers

Desert roses are gorgeous succulents with lovely pink flowers, so it’s no wonder gardeners want to add them to their collections. Luckily, this plant is also easy to grow. It can become a part of an outdoor succulent garden, but did you know your desert rose also makes a great indoor plant? If you want to add a desert rose to your indoor succulent garden, or want to start your succulent collection off with one, then this is the guide for you. We’ll explain everything you need to know in order to keep your desert rose happy and healthy indoors.
Can you grow desert rose plants indoors?

Desert rose succulents are well suited to growing indoors, and they actually grow better indoors than out in most parts of the U.S. These cold-sensitive plants are only hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11, so keeping them indoors is actually the best way to grow them. Like most other succulents, start off with a container that has plenty of drainage holes. Desert rose plants cannot tolerate soggy soil, so both the container and the soil mix need to allow excess water to drain freely. A succulent or cactus-specific soil mix is perfect for your desert rose.

Read more