Black Velvet Oxalis Bulbs

Oxalis triangularis — Black Velvet. In flat light the leaves are simply black. Put the pot in a bright window and a purple sheen comes up along the veins, which is the only time you can tell it is not actually black.

That darkness is the whole point. Against a pale wall, a white pot, or a light windowsill it reads as a deliberate, almost architectural plant rather than a novelty.

It is still a shamrock underneath: three leaflets, night-folding, white flowers in summer, and the same die-back-and-return cycle that makes the species so easy to keep.

What you get

• Near-black foliage with purple veining in strong light.
• Highest-contrast oxalis against pale pots and walls.
• White flowers in summer flushes.
• 6–10 in tall, best in a bright indoor position.
• Dormant corms that re-sprout after the natural rest period.

How to grow it

• Plant: 1–2 in / 3–5 cm deep, pointed end up, 3–4 in apart in a pot with drainage. Soak the corms for an hour first — they wake up faster.
• Light: bright, indirect light or a few hours of morning sun. Strong light keeps the purple deep; deep shade turns the leaves green.
• Water: keep evenly moist while growing, then let the top inch dry between waterings. Never leave the pot standing in water.
• Temperature: 60–75°F indoors. Hardy outdoors in USDA zones 8–11; elsewhere grow it in a pot and bring it in before frost.
• Dormancy: the leaves die back every few months — that is normal, not death. Stop watering for 4–6 weeks, then start again and it regrows from the corms.

Shipped dormant as graded corms, cleaned and ready to plant. Dispatch in 5–7 working days. Leaf colour and flower shade vary with light, season and the age of the corm — the first flush after planting is usually the darkest. Keep away from cats and dogs: oxalis is high in oxalic acid and is not pet-safe if chewed.