Oxalis incarnata
pale pink-sorrel
Overview
Oxalis incarnata is a small, bulbous perennial 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) tall, forming loose, sprawling clumps of slender, often reddish stems. The clover-like leaves are divided into three heart-shaped leaflets about 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) wide, bright green, and fold down at night and in dull weather. From late spring into summer it bears solitary pale lilac to white flowers 0.75-1 inch (2-2.5 cm) across, with five petals veined darker toward the centre, opening in sun and closing in shade. It grows from a small scaly bulb and produces numerous tiny bulbils in the leaf axils and around the parent bulb. These bulbils detach and spread readily, so the plant naturalises and can become an invasive weed in mild climates, regrowing from fragments left in the soil. It is frost-tender, damaged below about 25 F (-4 C), and dies back in cold winters, persisting through the bulbs. The plant tolerates poor, dry, sandy soils and light shade. Its spreading bulbils make it hard to remove once established, though it forms a low carpet of foliage and pale bloom where it is wanted.
Native Range
Oxalis incarnata is native to the Western Cape of South Africa, where it grows in shaded, sandy, and rocky places. It has naturalised widely in western Europe, parts of North America, and other mild regions from garden escapes.Suggested Uses
Grown in rock gardens, gravel, containers, and the front of mild-climate borders for low foliage and pale spring-to-summer flowers, set 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) apart. Suits alpine troughs and pots where its spreading bulbils stay confined. In frost-prone areas it is kept as a container plant under cover for winter.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 10"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Flowering runs from late spring into summer, with pale lilac to white flowers opening in sunshine and closing in dull or shaded conditions. Bloom continues over many weeks where the soil stays lightly moist. Flowers are followed by little seed, the plant spreading mainly by bulbils instead.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
GreenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 3-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in light shade to full sun in free-draining, sandy or gritty soil; the plant tolerates poor, dry ground and light shade. Water lightly in the growing season and keep it drier when dormant, as wet, heavy soil rots the bulbs. Shelter it from hard frost, since growth is damaged below about 25 F (-4 C), and in cold areas grow it in pots brought under cover for winter. Contain it where spread is unwanted, as the many bulbils move in soil and make it hard to eradicate. No feeding is needed on lean soils, and rich ground encourages lush, floppy growth. Hardy outdoors in USDA zones 8 through 10, it dies back to the bulbs in cold winters.Pruning
Remove spent flowers and yellowing leaves through the season to keep the clump tidy. Lift and reduce the bulbs in autumn to control spread, taking care to collect the small bulbils. No woody pruning applies.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
fall
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons