Oxalis Triangularis – growing timelapse and common issues
After the popularity of the first blog, i’ve added some more details and experiments on Oxalid Traingularis. The following will show you how to grow Oxalis from corms as well as some common issues to look out for.
How to grow Oxalis from corms(bulbs)
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to grow oxalis is from corms (bulbs). You can order oxalis corms online. Follow the steps below to grow your Oxalis.
What is the best potting mix: A general high quality potting mix works best, try to get a potting mix with some pre-added fertiliser.
| 1 | Use a good indoor potting mix and fill the pot almost to the top (to see the video demonstration click here) |
| 2 | Make a hole with your finger about 2cm deep (1 inch). Place the narrower side of the corm facing up vertifcally. If you have more than one corm, space them 4cm (1.5 inches) apart. Fill and cover the corm with the surrounding soil. |
| 3 | Water the pot and oxalis fully (you should use a pot with a drainage hole so any excess water will drip out the bottom) |
| 4 | Place your pot in a location that gets bright indirect light. A good location is one that gets morning light (about 4 hours) and afternoon shade. |
| 5 | Water your oxalis roughly every 2 -3 days or when you can see the top of the soil is dry. |
| 6 | You should see growth start to appear through the soil after about 6-9 days. |
Look at the below video of growing oxalis in potting mix vs Sphagnum moss and also planting the bulbs at different depths.
Leaves that open and close
Oxalis is high photophilic which means they are responsive to light, they close not only their flowers but also their leaves in a process called Nyctinasty.
There is no one theory about why some plants are nyctinastic, some common theories are that the leaves are open during the day to catch water droplets and then close at night to let the droplets fall off the plant to the roots. Another theory is that the flowers prefer certain daylight pollination insects like bees and butterflies but close at night to protect against unwanted pollinators like bats and beetles.
Have a look at the below timelapse of the leaves opening and closing over 24 hours.
Diseases
Burnt leaves: Oxalis prefers bright indirect light. Direct light can burn the leaves. You can tell the difference between burnt leaves and other diseases as burnt leaves will show as crisp burnt edges that easily break off. See the following video of burnt leaves.
Rust: Thanks to one of the readers for posting a photo of oxalis with rust. This is a fungus specifies called puccinia oxalidis, and reveals itself a yellow-orange dots on the underside of the foliage. Often caused by lack of ventilation and damp conditions that prevent the leaves from drying properly. The best way to treat is to cut off the infected leaves, the spores can often spread with wind to neighbouring leaves and plants.
Powdery mildew: Powdery mildew looks like white powdery patches. It is caused by dark wet humid conditions with poor air circulation. It’s not possible to kill powdery mildew, the best you can do is stop the generation of the spores (use a Copper powder), but better to remove the infected leave so it doesn’t spread to the rest of the plant. Powdery mildew is often spread by infected plants in the surrounding area, so check what other plants might be causing the fungal infection. Move your oxalis into a brighter light location which is a bit warmer.
Flowering
Flowering occurs during spring and summer. The flowers are small with either white, pastel pink or light purple color.
How long should my flowers last? – The flowers and adjoining stems usually last for about 1-2 weeks before dying off. This plant can be a bit messy and you need to constantly clean up the dead flower petals and stems during the flowing season.
Other types of Oxalis
Oxalis Triangularis is just one genus of flowering plants in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae, there are many different types of Oxalis, here are a few below that you can grow indoors.
Hopefully, you got a few more tips on how to grow your Oxalis.
Happy Growing.