Oxalis articulata
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Oxalis crassipes
- Phonetic Spelling
- oks-AL-iss ar-tik-yoo-LAH-tuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
There are many species of Oxalis, but Pink Oxalis or Woods Sorrel is a special, old fashioned plant. It is a deciduous rhizomatous perennial that is dense and mounded and grows up to 1' tall. Flowers of this plant may be partially concealed by the foliage. It is commonly used as an indoor potted plant as well as a border perennial. Flowers and leaves fold at night. This plant may go dormant in dry, hot summers if is is not watered. Leaves contain oxalates that are classified as poisonous, although the effects are local and not systemic or internal. This plant is tolerant of full sun to partial shade. It tolerates dry soil but goes dormant. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. Old plantings form rounded clumps covered with hundreds of bright pink flowers, blooming once in the spring and again in fall. It is almost impossible to kill and can be passed along to friends with the small, scaly, bulb-like rhizomes. This plant is relatively pest free.
Grows best in full sun to partial shade and moist to dry soil. They can be propagated by division of the bulb-like rhizomes in the fall or spring.
Quick ID Hints:
- Low, mounded, stemless perennial with clover-like leaves
- Ternately compound leaf folds down at night
- 5-petaled pink/white/magenta flowers close at night
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- f. crassipes 'Alba'
dense tufts of green 1/2 inch leaves and white blooms - 'Pink Pillow'
pink to violet flowers, arranged in 3 to 12 umbellate cymes - 'Rosea'
bright pink flower - subsp. rubra
red to pink flower arranged in 6 to 12 umbellate cymes
- f. crassipes 'Alba'
- f. crassipes 'Alba', 'Pink Pillow', 'Rosea', subsp. rubra
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- f. crassipes 'Alba'
dense tufts of green 1/2 inch leaves and white blooms - 'Pink Pillow'
pink to violet flowers, arranged in 3 to 12 umbellate cymes - 'Rosea'
bright pink flower - subsp. rubra
red to pink flower arranged in 6 to 12 umbellate cymes
- f. crassipes 'Alba'
- f. crassipes 'Alba', 'Pink Pillow', 'Rosea', subsp. rubra
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Oxalis
- Species:
- articulata
- Family:
- Oxalidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South America
- Edibility:
- EDIBLE PARTS: Small amounts of leaves, flowers, seeds, tubers/roots eaten raw are not dangerous. They have a lemon-like sour flavor.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are a dehiscent capsule that is fleshy and ejects seeds when ripe.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Saucer
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are pink, white, magenta, or yellow in color. They grow up to an inch in size and have 5 petals that are partially fused at the base. Flowers have 10 stamens that are in 2 whorls of 5. Inflorescence is an umbel up to 3" in diameter with a long pedicel.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are basal, ternately compound, obovate with a notch at the top, and are erect to spreading. Leaves have 3 clover-like leaflets that are obcordate to incised triangular, entire, bright green or burgundy in color, and fold down at night. Petioles are slender and succulent.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are acaulescent.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Houseplants
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Large quantities may cause trembling, cramps, and staggering in grazing animals, but there are no documented cases in humans. All parts of the plant have toxic potential, although the possibility of serious effects is usually limited to ingestions of large quantities. Consuming Oxalis species can produce colic in horses, and kidney failure is possible if significant amounts are eaten.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Soluble calcium oxylates
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
