Here's a particularly interesting and beautiful member of the worldwide Oxalis family, which includes all the wood sorrels and lots of clover-leaved plants of all sizes and descriptions. This oxalis is native to Mexico, but has been cultivated in Europe since Victorian times. It is particularly handsome, both in flower and foliage, and has lots of common names. "Iron Cross Oxalis" is one, and "The Good Luck Plant" is another. Each of this plant's leaves is a perfect four-leaf clover. What's more, the leaves have distinct "iron cross" markings in the centers, in fact, some hybrids have a clear maroon splotch on each petal, forming a cross. O. Deppei's summer flowers are also edible, often used in salads. Oxalis deppei is hardy to approximately zone 6, and it makes a great pot plant anywhere. Unlike many of its genus, this oxalis enjoys full sun. It's slow to come up in the spring after winter, and begins blooming in July.
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Botanical Name: Oxalis deppei
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Common Name: Shamrock or Oxalis
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Color: Brilliant pink flowers with clover shaped leaves.
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Spread/Width: Plant 10 bulbs per sq ft
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Bloom Time: Early summer until frost
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Sun/Shade: Full sun to partial shade
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Soil Preferences: Prefers a soil that is kept barely moist and will do fine if the soil dries slightly between watering.
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Advantages: Grows rapidly. Great in patio pots.
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Zones: Hardy in Zones 6-10. Tender in others: when frost threatens, lift for next spring
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