False Shamrock Oxalis Bulbs

Oxalis triangularis — False Shamrock. It is called false shamrock for a pedantic reason: a shamrock is a clover, a clover is Trifolium, and this is neither. It is an oxalis, and the three leaflets are the only thing the two have in common.

That distinction matters commercially more than botanically — people search for a purple shamrock, get sold a clover seed, and are disappointed. This is the plant they were actually picturing.

Grown in a plain white pot it needs no styling: the leaves do the work, and the lilac flowers sit just clear of them.

What you get

• True purple shamrock — oxalis, not a clover.
• Deep purple triangular leaves with lilac flowers.
• Folds shut at night, opens again in the morning.
• 6–12 in, indoors or outdoors in zones 8–11.
• Dormant corms that re-sprout season after season.

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.